Things That Go Bump In The Night
by RoseDragonWitch
Summary: Inuyasha met her at Halloween party… and for months… he watched over her, stalked her. Yes, he was a vampire… but even after becoming hopelessly addicted to Kagome's rare blood type...he was no longer just after her blood… he wanted her heart.
1. Sweet Addiction

_**Prologue: Sweet Addiction**_

A giant clock in the center of the city had just chimed midnight.

Tonight, the city was colder than it had been all year. The streets were quiet… but the quiet was just too good to last, because at that moment, the serene and peaceful calm was broken by the sound of running footsteps and of harsh breathing. Who in their right mind would be out at midnight… barefooted and running through empty streets?

It was a young woman going as fast as she could go towards the park. Her long, black raven hair was flying along the wild wind; while her big chocolate-brown eyes were full of fear and she kept glancing back behind her every few minutes.

Her behavior matched someone that was being chased… which of course…

… she was.

_*Kagome's POV*_

I've been running for so long now. With each step I take, I keep trying to increase my speed. Running was the only thing that my mind could register right now.

Every night **He** kept coming back to drink from me… and every night I let him. Not that I could fight against him in first place; he is so strong that I wouldn't have a prayer.

Tonight though, was different. I can't get rid of the feeling that tonight he wants something more, something more valuable to me, something that I won't be able to ever get back. That's why I'm running… to protect myself from that demon… that creature of the night.

It's ironic that he had warned me about this… like he knew this was going to happen. One night after he was done feeding off of me, he had told me that I had become his addiction, and that if I ever tried to run away from him, all he would have to do is follow my scent.

And I know that he spoke the truth… I could see it in his eyes. I knew that he would find me. Because when you are addicted to something, you can never forget its taste. That was what he said to me…

After that, he left. That's why I'm running to the park, I pray that the trees and flowers will be able to cover my scent and I can lose him, at least for tonight. I know that the odds aren't good… but I couldn't think of anything else.

_*Normal POV*_

The 17 year old gasped as she heard the sound of heavy breathing, not far behind her. Terror overwhelmed her and she ran even faster as her breath came out in short pants. Her eyes lightened up slightly as the entrance of the park came into view and she ran pass the gates.

_*Inuyasha's POV*_

So, she thinks she can hide from me just by running or hiding among some trees? I can't stop the devilish chuckle that escapes my lips. Her complete stubbornness and sweet, pure blood was what first attracted me to her.

I was drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

But when I took a closer look at her, I swear to God, that if I still had a breath in my body, she would have taken it away with her beauty. Her eyes were a deep chocolate-brown that shone with the perfection of light and purity, her hair was a black as a raven's feathers, and her skin was so perfect that it looked like almost like porcelain.

She is an angel; she has to be an angel.

I on the other hand, am a demon straight from hell while she is an angel straight from heaven. After watching over her for nearly two months, I learned everything I could about her.

However, one day she was being sought after by another so I decided to take action. For no one touches what is mine. Mine. I lick my lips hungrily at the thought. Oh yes, she _will_ be mine.

_*Normal POV*_

The creature smirked evilly as he came inside the park looked around him soundlessly while he stood in front of a large tree. His smirk widened however when he heard a small gasp behind the tree; of course even if his little angel hadn't given away her location, he still would have found her.

He could practically smell the fear and anxiety that was coming from her in the air and he frowned lightly at this. He didn't want his precious one to be afraid of him.

Meanwhile, Kagome was frozen on the spot when she saw that Inuyasha was just in front of her hiding place. A gasp escaped her lips before she could stop it; as she heard Inuyasha sniffing the air and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, praying that it hadn't be audible. She felt so frightened, that it reminded her of the day that she had met the creature for the first time… just a few months ago.

But it felt more like a lifetime.

Kagome shivered, but she shook her head to clear her thoughts and calm her nerves. Slowly, very slowly, she moved her head lightly to the side to have a better look from her spot behind the tree. What she saw though confused her and she had to blink to see if her eyes were working right.

Inuyasha was no longer there.

Did that mean that she had won? That she was safe… at least for the moment? Kagome let out a sigh of relief and took a few steps backwards.

"Game over, Kagome," said a voice from behind her.

Her eyes widened and she turned around quickly only to be met with a pair of burning gold eyes. She felt as if she had stopped breathing for a moment and panic began to sink in. She was about to start running but Inuyasha had seen that reaction coming and he would have none of it. He pinned Kagome's body to the tree and he held her wrists above her head, making it impossible for her to move.

"No. Let me go!" Kagome screamed.

"Go? I'm afraid that I can't let you go." Kagome turned leaned her head as far back as she could, not wanting to look Inuyasha in the eyes.

"I've told you before," said Inuyasha as he leaned in closer to her. "You are my addition… and once you are addicted to something, you can't give them up."

"But…" began Kagome as she felt Inuyasha put his nose to her neck and take a deep breath; breathing in her scent.

"You shouldn't be afraid, Kagome. There is no reason to, for I would never hurt my precious one… my fallen angel. And now that I have found you, I will never let you go."

Holding her close to him, Kagome felt her mouth go dry as she felt his fangs brushing her pulse point. She stiffened at the feeling of his tongue over her skin, coating the area in his saliva, before sinking his fangs into her throat.

She closed her eyes in both pain and ecstasy.

Yes, Inuyasha was a vampire…

… and he is no longer after her blood… he wanted her heart.

Inuyasha met her at Halloween party… and for months… he watched over her. Yes, he was a vampire… but he was no longer after her blood… he wanted her heart.


	2. No Such Thing

**_Chapter One: No Such Thing_**

_*2 Months Earlier*_

"Are you serious?" Kagome asked her friend Ayumi who was shifting through costumes at the Halloween store, trying to find anything that wasn't all princessy.

"Yeah," answered Yuka who was busy trying on a red wig and devil horns. "Hojo's throwing a Halloween party this weekend and we're all going."

"You should come too Kagome," said Eri who was looking at the masks and trying on some of the cheap accessories. "I think…" she said, "I'm going as a cop this year. You know… one of those sexy cops?"

The other 3 girls started laughing. "That suits you, Eri," said Yuka who decided to go as the devil. "What about you Ayumi?"

Ayumi shrugged. "I think… maybe a witch? Oh wait… a Vampire! They're the coolest."

"Again?" asked Yuka, "Weren't you one last year?"

"Yeah," said Ayumi without embarrassment, "I just think that it would be cool to see one someday."

Kagome laughed again as she held up a costume in front of the mirror to see how it would look. "A vampire?" she asked skeptical tone. "Come on Ayumi. Vampires don't exist."

"How would you know?" Ayumi said back smugly.

"Have you ever heard of anyone seeing a vampire?" asked Kagome as she put the costume back and began looking for another, "Other than in the movies I mean?"

"Just because you've never seen them Kagome," said Eri as she was trying on a cop's hat and sunglasses, "Doesn't mean that they aren't real."

Kagome looked at her with raised eyebrows and asked, "Why? Do you believe in them?"

"Not at all," Eri said grinning. "But I had to try that line out you know?"

Yuka laughed as she picked up her costume and headed towards the checkout line, "You guys better hurry up and choose! The store's closing in 15 minutes!"

"Kay!" they all called after her. Eri finished picking out her costume and followed after Yuka, still wearing the cop sunglasses. Ayumi then picked up two costumes and looked them over… a vampire or a witch?

"Hey I got it!" said Kagome as she picked up a red and white costume.

Ayumi looked at it and said, "You're going as a priestess this year Kagome?"

Kagome shrugged, "Why not? It's something different right? Everyone dresses up as a witch or a vampire… but a priestess? You don't get too many of those do you?" She then looked at Ayumi's choices and said, "You always go as a vampire or a witch. Do you want to try something different this year?"

Ayumi thought about it for a moment before turning back to her selections. As she was trying to decide, she noticed an outfit hanging up on the wall across from her and she let out a squeal before running towards it… completely forgetting about the other two costumes she had been holding a minute ago.

"Oh! A hippie costume! It's adorable! I'll go in this one!"

After picking up a few accessories, the two of them walked over to the check-out line where their friends were waiting.

_*That Night*_

"A Halloween party?" Kagome's mother asked as she began putting up a few more decorations on the outside of the house.

"Yeah," said Kagome as she handed her mother a few fake spiders and bats. "Can I go? All my friends are going."

Her mother hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are there any parent's chaperoning?"

Kagome groaned, "Mom! I'm 17 years old for crying out loud! Don't you trust me by now? Besides… Hojo's throwing it."

Her mother let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, if Hojo's throwing it then by all means. Have a good time."

Kagome shook her head, "Mom… I'm not a little kid anymore. I know the difference from right and wrong by now. You don't have to worry constantly about me."

Her mom looked down at her with a sad smile before saying, "I know dear."

"Then…" began Kagome as she handed her the last decoration, "Why do you always treat me like a little girl?"

Her mother finished putting up the last fake bat before putting her arm around Kagome's shoulders and leading her inside. "You'll always be my little girl Kagome."

Kagome chuckled as she leaned her head against her mom's shoulder. When they went inside, her mother headed straight to the kitchens to fix dinner and Kagome followed her; she wanted to know if her mom needed anything else before she disappeared into her room.

"Kagome?" her mom asked as she began to boil some water and put her apron on. "Do you mind going outside to see where Sota is? He needs clean his room."

"Sure thing," said Kagome as she headed out the back door and into the crisp, cool October air. She looked around the small yard and spotted Sota lying down in the gazebo reading a comic book.

Kagome loved the gazebo. It wasn't anything special… just a 10 foot, red cedar gazebo that was in the shape of hexagon. To keep out the weather the roof was made with cedar boards, shingles and the posts were inside faces parallel for a true and solid frame, with small vines growing around it… climbing the wood… it looked like something you would see out of a fairytale. When the weather was nice, she would do her homework or read a book while lying in its shade.

Kagome walked over to her 10 year old brother, who looked up with questioning eyes before moaning at having to go and clean his room.

"I would sis," he said innocently. "But I'm trying to think of a way for mom to increase my allowance… and I'm afraid I don't have time to clean it."

"You know?" said Kagome, "There are some people who would be happy to say, 'Just keep giving me allowance and you can say anything you want.' Why can't you be like them?"

Sota shrugged. "I'm not like some people."

Kagome thought that one over for a minute before saying, "Lucky for them."

_*Later*_

Once Kagome finally got Sota to go inside, she decided to sit out in the gazebo until dinner. She leaned back on the floor so that she could stare up at the ceiling, and so that she could enjoy probably one of the few last days of nice weather.

She couldn't wait for this weekend. She couldn't wait to put on her costume and go to that party with her friends! Oh, she knew that it was going to be a night to remember. She sat in the gazebo thinking about how much fun she was going to have until she heard her mother call to come in and eat.

Sighing slightly, she got up and went in.

_*Inside*_

Her mother had made pasta tonight and Kagome quickly got herself a bowl before Sota came down and ate the entire pot. Kids and their metabolisms these days. As soon as she sat down, Sota came running into the room, and just like Kagome thought, he took almost twice as much pasta as Kagome did.

The 3 of them all sat down and for a few minutes the only sounds were from the clinking of china, or the sound of chewing. "So," said Kagome trying to break the silence. "Grandpa's not eating with us tonight?"

Her mom shook her head, "No, he went with an old friend on a trip remember? He should be back next week though."

"It's so quiet without him blabbing his stories every chance he gets," said Sota taking a sip of milk. "We should enjoy it while it lasts."

"Sota!" said mom but with a small laugh. She then turned to Kagome and said, "So when does your party start?"

"It starts at 8 but lasts until midnight," said Kagome slurping up some pasta. "Is that alright?"

"Yes," said her mother grinning. "I trust you. Do you need a ride or…"

"No, I can get a ride don't worry," she said reassuringly.

"What are you going as?" asked Sota.

"A priestess," she said happily. "I wanted to be something different this year."

"Really?" asked Sota. "I wanna see it."

"You going trick-or-treating this year Sota?" mom asked interestedly.

"Duh," said Sota as if it was obvious, "Never pass up on free candy!"

"What are you going this year?" Kagome asked.

"A vampire!" he said excitedly. Kagome groaned. Again with the vampires?

"You know? My friend Ayumi wanted to go as a vampire this year… but come on. Everyone goes as a vampire."

"Why not? Vampires are so cool," he said in a huffy voice.

"I'm not saying that they aren't," replied Kagome. "I'm just saying that you might want to go as something different for a change?"

Sota rolled his eyes, "I take it that you don't believe in vampires?"

"To each his own," said Kagome with a chuckle. "You can believe in them all you want, but don't expect me to jump on board."

"How do you know that they don't exist?" he asked in a mock offended tone.

Kagome shrugged, "That's exactly what Ayumi said. If you ask me, there's no such thing as vampires. And until you give me proof, that's what I'm going to believe."

"Alright kids," mom interrupted, "You two can talk about this later."

"Sis?" asked Sota after a few minutes of him slurping up his noodles. "You gonna meet your boyfriend at that party?"

Kagome dropped her bowl and shrieked, "BOYFRIEND?"

"Oh, Kagome," her mother cut in excitedly, "I didn't know you had a boyfriend! Oh I wish you told me about him sooner…"

"Mom!" Kagome said quickly as she glared at Sota, "I don't have a boyfriend yet. Why can't you be like other moms and dread the idea of their only daughter dating?" Kagome knew that her mother dreamt of having grandkids and she had no problems of stating this whenever she had the chance.

Kagome thought that this was ironic. Most mothers would dread the idea of their daughter having a boyfriend, but then their daughters go out and find one. But when the mother SUPPORTS the idea of your daughter of having a boyfriend and what happens? You're 17 and without a boy…

… heck Kagome haven't even had her first kiss yet.

"I take it that you don't want me to talk to you right now?" asked Sota smugly.

"Not exactly," Kagome said coldly. "You can talk to me, just don't at me. You know the difference?"

Sota gave her a bewildered look before simply replying, "No."

"Kids these days…" Kagome said under her breath, but she was smiling as she continued her food.


	3. Halloween Trouble

**_Chapter Two: Halloween Trouble_**

_*Halloween Day*_

Kagome was helping Yuka putting on red face paint for her devil's costume. "Yuka, you look like you could scare the 'real' devil."

Yuka smiled as she shut her eyes so that Kagome could put the make-up on her eyelids. "You should go and put your costume on Kagome," she said while she was adding her devil horns.

"In a minute," Kagome replied as she looked over her shoulder at her friends who were also getting ready.

"I'll finish your make-up Yuka," said Ayumi who had finished putting on a tie-dye shirt and bellbottom jeans. "I'm almost ready, and you haven't even got yours on Kagome."

"Thanks," she said as she handed Ayumi the brush and headed towards the bathroom with her costume and accessories. But as soon as she reached the bathroom door down the hall, her brother had jumped out and started hissing… only to have his glow-in-the-dark fangs fall out of his mouth.

"Hey, Dracula," she said sarcastically. "Lost your dentures?"

"Laugh it up, sis," he said as he picked up his fangs, looking embarrassed. "But when I have an entire pillow sack of candy, we'll see whose laughing."

Kagome grinned as she walked pass him and turned to shut the door. "If you get any Reese's let me know." Once he left she quickly changed out of her blouse and skirt before putting on the red and white priestess attire. When she looked in the full-length mirror, she had to admit that she looked great. It looked as if she was born to wear it. She grinned again as she brushed out her raven hair and tied it up in a white hair band.

She then picked up a quiver with fake arrows and a toy bow before walking back to her room to show her friends. When she stepped inside, she saw that they were all almost ready and just finishing the final touches to make their outfits perfect.

When they looked up at her, they all let out small shrieks of surprise and excitement.

"Oh, Kagome," said Yuka all dressed in red and picking up a plastic pitchfork.

"You look great!" said Eri who was in blue with a pair of handcuffs and a cops badge gleaming on her chest.

"Really! You look like something right out of feudal Japan!" cried out Ayumi.

"Yeah?" said Kagome, "You look like you just jumped over from the 70's!"

After awhile of squealing and complementing each other, they finally heading downstairs to show off to Kagome's mom. Her mom gave them all a sigh of 'awww' before the four of them waited on the porch and started to hand out candy to early trick-or-treaters. Sota had already left with a large group of friends, and at a quarter to 8, her mom took over the job of handing out candy while the girls all left.

While watching the road for any stray trick-or-treaters, they all talked and joked about having a good time tonight. That is, until Ayumi told Kagome something about the reason Hojo was throwing the party.

"I overheard this in the hallways at school," she said a little breathlessly. "The reason Hojo's throwing the party is because he wants to ask you to be his girlfriend Kagome!"

"WHAT?" Kagome shrieked in shock. She wasn't expecting that. She always knew that Hojo had a crush on her ever since they were kids, and she always liked Hojo… but would she actually go out with him? She liked him as a friend… but as a boyfriend? No way.

"You should date him," said Eri who was driving. "Hojo's liked you forever. And he's sweet, treats you with respect, he's cute… sure he's a bit dense… but come on, no one's perfect."

"Yeah…" said Kagome a little absentmindedly, "But I don't know if Hojo's my type. Sure he's nice but…"

"But what?" asked Ayumi.

"I don't know if I want to date him," Kagome said truthfully. "I've always thought of Hojo as a friend, not my boyfriend."

"Wait a minute," said Yuka suddenly, "Do you like someone else?"

Kagome was startled by the question and said a little too quickly, "NO!"

"Why you getting all defensive Kagome?" asked Eri smirking, "Is he cute?"

Kagome let out an irritated sigh before glaring at them, "No, I'm not seeing anyone. I'm just saying that I'm not sure I would like to date a health-nut like Hojo that's all."

Eri shrugged, "Well you're gonna have to give him an answer tonight. Because, he's going to ask you before the party's over."

Kagome leaned back in her seat with her hand over her eyes, and hissed, "Great."

_*The Party*_

Disco lights flashed red, green, blue and yellow, revealing the silhouettes of dancers sweeping across the wooden floor and the sound of music was blaring in everyone's ears. People were laughing, eating, and talking to each other while enjoying themselves and showing off their costumes.

Kagome mingled with the girls for a short time before she went over to where a bunch of chairs and to talk with some other friends that had just shown up. She had been hoping that she could avoid Hojo all night, but as luck would have it… just when it was nearing midnight, and she thought that she would be able to get away… he appeared behind her.

"Hey Kagome!" he said cheerfully, causing her to jump so hard that she almost fell out of her chair. "Oh, I'm so sorry," he said rather childlike as he took her arm and tried to help her up. Kagome gently pulled her arm out of his grasp and said in what she hoped was a kind tone, "No problem Hojo. But I can get up by myself. Thanks anyway."

_'Honestly,' _she thought to herself, _'Sometimes he's a little TOO polite. It can be a little annoying.'_ Nevertheless, she forced a mechanical smiled for him.

"I'm so sorry Kagome," Hojo kept apologizing, "I should've let you know that I was there you might've gotten hurt!"

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Hurt? The only thing I could hurt by falling on the floor is my pride."

"But still," Hojo went on sounding guilty, "I should never have snuck up on you."

"That's ok Hojo," Kagome said as she was starting to get annoyed. "What do you want?" She could've kicked herself. She knew what he wanted, and if she had used her brain, then maybe she could've gotten away without hurting his feelings.

Hojo seemed to be a little confused at first, before he remembered why he came over. "Well I… uhh," Hojo stumbled over his words like a nervous wreck; "I… ah… I wanted to ask you something?"

Kagome tried hard not to sigh as she waited, but Hojo looked at her friends, who were watching them with curious expressions. "Can we go outside for a minute?" he asked.

Why did she have to be born with a sense of ethics? She couldn't find it in her to tell him no. She sighed as she nodded and followed him out of the house. "By the way," Kagome said, trying to distract him, "I like your parent's house."

It really was a nice house; made of brick with two floors and wood that was polished so much that it looked brand new. Hojo led her outside onto a deck, overlooking a pool… to Kagome's dismay, no one else was outside.

"Thank you," Hojo said as he offered her his coat. "You know its kinda cold out here. Don't want you getting sick or anything."

Kagome waved off the coat, "No thank you Hojo," she said. "I'm fine."

As he put his coat over her shoulders anyway, she bit her lip, trying not to tell him off. Instead she asked, "What are you dressed as anyway?"

He was dressed in red tights, with a large shirt with poufy sleeves, with an even larger hat that had a long feather sticking out of it. "Oh?" Hojo said in surprise, "You couldn't tell? I'm Romeo."

Kagome nodded, but she couldn't hide the dread in her eyes. "Why did you go as that?" she asked quickly. "Is someone here dressed as Juliet?"

_'Please say yes, please say yes,'_ she kept thinking over and over. Hojo laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck, "No. But I wanted to dress the part."

Kagome really didn't like where this was going and asked, "What part? The school play?"

He laughed again as he suddenly handed her something, "No I just wanted to give you these," he said quickly before pulling out a few yellow roses tied together with a green ribbon. Kagome stared at the flowers in surprise. But she was so relieved that they were yellow roses… "Oh Hojo…" she said happily. "I didn't know you wanted to stay friends."

"Come again?" Hojo asked in confusion. Kagome stroked the petals of one of the yellow roses before saying, "Yellow roses are an expression of cheerfulness. Yellow roses evoke sunny feelings of joy, warmth and welcome. They are symbols of friendship and caring. The yellow rose, unlike the other roses, isn't a symbol of romance. It indicates purely platonic emotions."

Hojo stared at her as if she spoke in another language, "N-no…" he stuttered. "I just remember you saying one day that yellow was your favorite color and I just thought…"

_'Is it so hard for a guy to ask a girl what her favorite color is?' _Kagome thought in bitter disappointment. For girls, favorite colors change from day to day, they never stay the same. Kagome's favorite colors were blue and red… not yellow…

_'Why does he like me?'_ Kagome thought. _'I like him as a friend… but not as a boyfriend. How can someone so nice be so dense?'_ Kagome snapped out of her thoughts before she focused her attention back to Hojo.

"Thank you," she said indifferently before taking the flowers.

_*Hojo's POV*_

Hojo grinned widely as Kagome took the flowers from him. _'I knew that yellow was Kagome's favorite color! Her friends kept saying that it blue or something; but I knew better! I mean… look how happy and speechless she is right now? I can't believe that I was so worried. Man, she must like me.' _

Hojo's chest swelled with confidence. The girl he liked for so long liked him too… now all he had to do was ask her to be his girlfriend.

_*Normal POV*_

The geeky smile on Hojo's face was really starting to worry her. Didn't she express it enough in the past that she liked him as just a friend? Did he really think that she wanted to go out with him?

"Thanks again, Hojo," said Kagome trying to sound cheerful, "You know? You really are such a good FRIEND. I'm lucky that I have so many good FRIENDS like you." Kagome said the word friend really slow and loudly hoping that he would understand the message. "I gotta go now." Kagome turned around and practically ran to the door.

"B-but Kagome!" he called after her, "I wanted to ask you something else!"

"Ah…" Kagome said trying to think of a good excuse, and not hurt his feelings, "Sorry Hojo! It's almost midnight and I promised my mom I'd be home by then!" Breathing in relief, she went back inside. Of course, she knew that Hojo wasn't going to let that go… she better find the girls and go home as soon as possible.

Kagome stayed away from the moving crowd, taking refuge in a corner of the lively room, trying to find Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. She ducked down, hoping desperately to remain inconspicuous. Staying low had succeeded so far in keeping anyone from recognizing her, but quickly changed. She felt someone grab her by the wrist and squeezed it so hard that she gasped in pain, before the owner dragged her roughly outside.

Confused, Kagome tried to pull her hand out of the person's grasp and go back inside. But he was too strong for her. Once they were out by the side of the house and stepped into the pale moonlight; Kagome was finally able to get a look at his face.

She recognized who pulling her… it was Bankotsu.

Bankotsu was one of the most popular boys in school, but Kagome heard her share of rumors on how brutal Bankotsu could be with his girlfriends and she wanted no part of it. Getting hit by a boy did NOT sound like a fun time to her. Which is why she always flipped him off whenever he tried to flirt with her; she didn't know why he did it… maybe because she was the only girl in school who wasn't acting like a crazed fan girl?

"What do you want Bankotsu?" she demanded, sounding braver than she really was.

In response, he threw her against the side of the house, knocking the air from her lungs and sent waves of pain up her spine. She sank to the ground, desperately trying to get her breath back. She glanced up to see the bully walking towards her, an evil and lust-filled smirk twisting his face. She felt the blood drain from her face, leaving her feeling dizzy and scared.

"I've been waiting for a long time Kagome," he said as he came near her. "You can't refuse me now…"

She glanced around, hoping to find some sort of escape route. Finding none, she turned sideways and readied herself for a fight… and getting ready to scream. That is until…

"Hold it," a harsh voice murmured dangerously that seemed to come from the darkness. "I would leave her alone if I were you."

Kagome turned her head to the left and glanced where she thought she saw a flash of silver in the dark. Bankotsu growled as he looked around him, "Who's there?" he yelled. "So yourself."

"If you insist," said the harsh, yet deep voice. Kagome squinted her eyes, trying to see who was there… she didn't recognize the voice… but something about it seemed… safe? Maybe even… familiar? Like she heard it from a dream she had a long time ago?

And then she saw him.

Someone was standing in the dark, glaring daggers at the bully now standing over Kagome. Kagome's eyes widened as the appearance of a young man, looking a little older than she did stepped into the weak moonlight.

As she got a good look at him, she noted that he was handsome. He had a completely flawless face, with long, flowing silver hair that was longer than any girl's hair that she'd ever seen. He was tall too, about a good half a foot taller than her. He was dressed in a crimson-red kimono that looked to be made of some strange material, and pants with a sword hanging but his side.

But what really amazed her wasn't the outfit, the silver hair, or the way that he seemed to become one with the darkness…

No it was his eyes and ears. Eyes that looked as if they were made of pure, liquid gold, and two silver dog ears resting on top of his head that twitched around at the tiniest sound.

Kagome took in the appearance of the teenager walking, barefooted, towards them. Kagome could feel her heart beating against her chest in an almost violent manner… as if it was trying to break free. She just stared at him as he came to stand just a few feet away from them and looking at Bankotsu with a look of disgust.

He then turned his head slightly to look down at Kagome with a strange stare in his eyes that Kagome didn't recognize…

… the way that he was looking at her…

…the only thing that she could think of to describe the stare was…

…like she was something he wanted to eat.

_I decided to do a voting for chapter names in this story as well!_

_Possible chapter names for Chapter 3:_

**_"My Name is…"_**

**_"In The Arms of an Angel or Devil?"_**

**_"Blood Lust"_**

_(Please let me know if you like the idea of voting for chapter names yourselves or if I should do it on my own.)_


	4. Angel or Devil?

**_Chapter Three: Angel or Devil?_**

Kagome took in the appearance of the teenager walking, barefooted, towards them. Kagome could feel her heart beating against her chest in an almost violent manner… as if it was trying to break free. She just stared at him as he came to stand just a few feet away from them and looking at Bankotsu with a look of disgust.

He then turned his head slightly to look down at Kagome with a strange stare in his eyes that Kagome didn't recognize…

… the way that he was looking at her…

…the only thing that she could think of to describe the stare was…

…like she was something he wanted to eat.

But nevertheless, she couldn't take her eyes off his. They were mesmerizing. She could get lost so easily in those orbs. She watched as he walked forward to Bankotsu and shoved him backwards, away from Kagome.

"You should've listened," he said darkly as he advanced on Bankotsu.

Bankotsu stood his ground, and put of his fists, readying for a fight, "And you should mind your own busy dog-face."

"As soon as I take care of you!" The man yelled as he then began to fight with Bankotsu. Scared, Kagome shut her eyes and tried to block out the sounds of punches and the scuffling of feet as they continued to dodge each other's blows. Finally, when she heard the sound of a body hitting the ground and a muffled moan, she was able to open her eyes.

The first thing that she saw was Bankotsu laying on the ground with a bloody lump on his head and the man standing over him, brushing his clothes off. "You ok?" he said.

It took Kagome a minute to realize that he was speaking to her. "Y-y-yes," she stuttered.

After he finished brushing off the wrinkles in his clothes, he cautiously approached her and crouched down before gently placed a hand on her shoulder. His touch scared her and she flinched away from him. He seemed to frown when she cowered back as far as she could…

"Shh..." he murmured. Kagome didn't understand why he was telling her to calm down… that was until she realized that she was whimpering pathetically; like how a whipped puppy would.

Her savior lightly stroked her hair and said that she was safe now. Slowly, Kagome started to relax, and allowed the stranger to help her get back to her feet.

"So…" the man asked as he looked down at Bankotsu's unconscious form before continuing, "You mind telling me why this jerk was bothering you?"

Kagome shook her head in disgust, "Well, he's the most popular guy at my school. All the girls at school are in love with him… except for me… and I guess…"

"He wanted to get to know you?" the man finished for her in a repulsed tone. Kagome nodded, while putting her face in her hand, trying to get to grips on what just happened.

Without her noticing that she was doing it, she was leaning against him slightly. Kagome could feel the tears falling down her face as she was just beginning to comprehend how far that Bankotsu could've gone.

She pressed her face into her savior's kimono, trying to stop her shaking. She felt the man freeze for a moment before he very gently pushed her away so that he could look at her. He brushed his thumb across Kagome's flushed cheek, wiping away a stray tear that still trickled down her face. Kagome then took a few steps back away from him once she saw what she was doing.

She was crying into the coat of a person she didn't even know!

"What's your name?" the man asked gently.

_'He doesn't seem that dangerous,'_ she thought as she timidly smiled back. _'And besides, he did save me…'_

"My name's Kagome," she murmured, her eyes dropping from his melted gold ones. "Thank you… for saving me."

"Kagome..." he voice echoed. She and looked up to see that he was, glancing around them uneasily. She stared at him, her head cocked to one side.

"I... I think you should get out of here," he murmured, suddenly grabbing Kagome's hand and pulling her towards the front door. Kagome was baffled; it was almost as if he was desperate to get somewhere public… safe even?

He tugged her towards the door and she glanced up at his face as he did so. Maybe he was worried that more guys were around? She saw that his body shaking and his tongue was running over his lips… as if he was longing to eat something. He glanced down at her. It was as if he couldn't take his eyes away from her; it was as if he was hypnotized by something.

She then noticed that he was starting to lean in towards her neck, and he opened his mouth… to reveal his teeth… no not teeth… fangs.

Kagome froze, staring at him in horror out of the corner of her eye. She tried to wrench her wrist out of his grasp but as she did so, he shoved her against the wall, holding her to him. Her mouth went dry as his mouth went to her throat, his fangs brushing her skin. She stiffened at the foreign felling and tried to force him to get off her. She felt his tongue over her neck, coating the area in saliva, before she felt a slight sting… it was the feeling you get when you're at the doctor's getting a shot.

But this was also different than any shot she ever received from a doctor.

It was the most horrible… and yet wonderful feeling she could've imagined. She could feel as if all her worries and pain leave her body along with her energy. Like she was being drained on strenght…

It felt as if she was spellbound and she couldn't move. She then closed her eyes in bliss as she felt herself getting light-headed… and then… sleepy.

She gasped in shock as she fell into darkness. The last thing that she remembered were a pair of strong arms catch her before she fell… and the glimmer of gold eyes turning to a blood red color.

The next thing that Kagome knew… she was waking up in the backseat of the car. She blinked a few times to try to clear her foggy head and look around.

"Kagome?" said a voice that she recognized.

"Ayumi?" Kagome asked in confusion.

"Oh Kagome!" cried Eri's voice from the front seat. Kagome's vision was blurred as she struggled to make out her friend's worried faces. "Eri? Yuka? What happened? What's going on?"

Yuka's voice then spoke, "You had us worried. We all thought that what that guy said was one big lie and **he** was the one that attacked you."

Kagome sat up a little straighter. "Guy?" she repeated, "What guy?"

"You really don't remember do you?" said Ayumi sympathetically. "Well, it was almost midnight, so we were looking around for you. Someone then told us that they saw Bankotsu drag you outside. But when we went out, we saw Bankotsu knocked out cold on the ground, and this man holding you in his arms."

"We were about to call for help when he came over and held you out to us saying that Bankotsu attacked you," said Yuka.

Eri then said, "At first we thought that he was lying… but then Bankotsu sat up saying that he was going to kill him for stopping his **fun**."

Kagome shivered at the memory of him pinning her against the wall.

"So I'm guessing that it's true?" asked Yuka.

Kagome could only nod, as her friend gasped in outrage and horror.

"As soon as Bankotsu woke up," said Ayumi looking amazed, "The guy who had you in his arms… he put you down, and ran over to Bankotsu and… I still can't believe he did that…"

"Did what?" asked Kagome as she leaned her head back against the seat, feeling sick.

"He ran over and kicked him in the head as he yelled at us to call the cops," said Eri looking sickened, before Yuka spoke.

"I ran in and told Hojo what happened, he called the cops and Bankotsu was arrested. Hojo wanted to know if he should call an ambulance for you because… well no offense Kagome, but you look terrible."

"None taken," said Kagome rubbing her temples, "I feel terrible."

"Anyway," went on Yuka. "We were going to call for an ambulance, but the guy who saved you said that you just fainted and should be alright after some sleep."

"He also said that we should just take you straight home," said Ayumi, "And then he left."

"It was creepy," said Yuka shivering slightly. "It was like he just faded into the darkness."

"I still can't believe that Bankotsu would do something that though," said Ayumi. "That guy was dressed like someone from feudal Japan for Halloween, and said that he was out for a midnight run when he heard yelling and decided to check it out. Once he saw Bankotsu force you up against the wall he ran over and knocked him out."

"And then what happened?" Kagome asked. She remembered Bankotsu holding her up against the wall, and a golden-eyed stranger with silver hair appearing out of the darkness… but she couldn't remember anything that happened after that.

"He then said that when he looked behind him, you were on the ground," said Yuka looking scared.

"He picked you up and was going to take you back inside when we showed up looking for you," Ayumi spoke up.

"At least that's what he said," finished Eri.

"You sure you're ok Kagome?" Ayumi asked as she put her hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," replied Kagome sleepily. "I-I just want to sleep right now."

"Don't worry," answered Yuka, "We're on your street right now. Just hold on a little bit longer. I still can't believe that Bankotsu!"

"Yeah but…" said Eri with a lopsided smile, "You know the saying right? You can't have a good party without having some getting arrested."

The 3 girls chuckled slightly, but Kagome didn't say a word. What happened? She couldn't remember…

But then Ayumi was shaking her by the shoulder and telling her that they got her home. "You want us to walk in with you Kagome?" she asked.

"No," Kagome answered as she mustered up her strength, when in truth she felt like she was about to pass out.

"Hey don't worry," said Eri soothingly. "Tomorrow's Saturday so you can sleep in right?"

"Oh that's right," said Kagome shaking her head, trying to clear her brain. "I forgot about that too." She forced a smile at her friends and asked, "Do me a favor… don't tell my mom. She's going to flip out if she hears about this."

As Yuka parked in the driveway, as close as possible to the back door as she could get, Kagome opened the door and slowly dragged her body out. She asked Ayumi one last thing before she shut the door and waved her friends goodnight. Once they left, Kagome slowly made her way to the back door.

She forced her tired and aching body into the house. She noticed that all the lights were off, so that must mean that her mother and Sota went up to bed already. She felt so weak and light-headed that she was having trouble walking straight. She put one hand on the wall, and made herself find the stairs and slowly crawl up… oh man… she hadn't felt this bad since they had that blood drive at school last year.

She hadn't eaten that day and after she donated some blood, she felt like she was about to pass out. It was like she was reliving that feeling again, only this time, she felt like she had given a lot more than a small of blood. What was wrong with her? She felt so drained.

Finally, she was able to make it to the top of the stairs and collapsed; she gasped for breath like she had just run a marathon. She could feel herself beginning to black out again… luckily her room was just a few more feet away. She gritted her teeth and slowly crawled over to her door and reached up to turn the knob.

The door creaked open halfway, and she crawled in. Too weak to shut the door behind her, she used the last of her strength to get up on her feet and collapse in exhaustion on her bed, not even bothering to try to change out of her costume. She couldn't even muster up the energy to pull her blankets up as she then immediately drifted off into a deep sleep.

The last thing that she remembered was feeling a slight breeze… and what Ayumi said when she got out of the car…

_*Flashback*_

_"Ayumi? Did the guy who saved me from Bankotsu say what his name was?" she asked as she fought to keep her eyes open._

_Ayumi thought for a minute before answering, "I think he said that his name was something like… Inuyasha?"_

_*End of Flasbasck*_

Inuyasha? Well that answered one question. The last question that crossed her mind was wondering if she was saved by an angel or a devil.

**(I just thought that voting for chapter names would be fun for everyone. But since I got so much negative response about doing it, you don't need to worry anymore. It's not that I have trouble thinking of chapter names, I just wanted to give you guys some entertainment?)**


	5. Tantalizing blood

**_Chapter Four: Tantalizing blood _**

Inuyasha had been out all night watching all the people running around and enjoying themselves. He watched as kids came dressed in every costume you could think of… Power Rangers, Grim Reapers, Star Trek, Angels, Zombies, Cavemen, Princess… and…

He had to laugh. There were dozens of little kids running around dressed as vampires. Oh, boy if they only knew…

Chuckling, he continued on his way down the street. He loved Halloween. It was one of the few times of the year that he could walk out and not have to worry about anyone running away from him. It was also one of the few times of the year that he didn't have to worry about wearing a disguise. No long wigs… no hats… no shoes… oh it felt so good.

He paused outside a house where a large group of trick-or-treaters were waiting for candy. His went immediately to a young boy that looked to be about 10 years old, who was dressed as a vampire. Inuyasha had to roll his eyes.

_'Oh, please,'_ he thought, _'Vampires haven't worn capes in centuries.'_

The young boy went running down to cross the street to the next house. As he passed, Inuyasha heard the boy talking with his friends, "I got a Reese's! My sisters gonna flip for it!"

"What's your sister doing tonight anyway?" asked a boy with thick blonde hair who was dressed as a zombie.

"Why do you care?" the boy asked suspiciously.

"'Cause you have a hot sister!" he replied.

"She's 6 years older than us!" the dark haired boy replied.

"Yeah, but come on Sota. You can't admit that you have a pretty sister."

_'Sota? Strange name,'_ thought Inuyasha.

"I really don't think that you're her type," Sota answered rolling his eyes. "And she's at a Halloween party right now. She went dressed as a priestess. You should've seen her! She looks like she came right out of feudal Japan!"

Priestess? Feudal Japan? These were words that Inuyasha hadn't heard in a long time. Inuyasha shook his head as he continued on. _'Come on… get with the times Inuyasha!' _he thought. _'You can't go back… you've come too far to look back now anyway."_

He spent the rest of the night wandering around the streets, looking at the decorations and the costumes, and just enjoying the crisp October air. His long silver hair blowing in a light breeze, his claws reflecting from the low light, breathing in the smell of apple cider and dead leaves… Inuyasha loved this day more than any other. It was really good to be out in his old clothes again as well… He was dressed in a crimson-red kimono that looked to be made of some strange material, and pants with a sword hanging but his side.

He wore this outfit every year for Halloween. I mean come on… he couldn't wear it any other time could he?

_*Later*_

He wandered onto a dark street, long after all the trick-or-treaters had gone home. He knew it was getting late, but he still needed to eat before he went home. He didn't want to bother any of the little kids… so he decided to wait until he was sure that they were all safely home before he went looking for his next meal.

Just as he began looking around he could hear the sounds of someone struggling, and some heavy breathing. Curious, he decided to go and check it out real quick. He wandered in the darkness of a large house… he didn't see anything unusual about it… that was until he saw a tall figure pressing another smaller figure up against the side of the house in a threatening way.

He was wondering what he should do when a slight breeze picked up and he could smell something. It was a scent that was making his senses go crazy! A wonderful, floral smell filled his sensitive nose, making his eyes widened in comprehension and his mouth water. It was then he realized that the smell was coming from the smaller figure that was being forced up against the house.

He came closer… trying to see what exactly was going on. His golden eyes were slightly glazed over from the hypnotic scent; everything around him was in a blur.

He needed that scent, he wanted it.

He didn't understand these feelings that swirled inside of him and he didn't care. His instincts were going haywire; telling him that if he didn't reach that scent he would lose his mind.

"What do you want Bankotsu?" demanded a female voice that sounded a little bit like chiming bells. He then saw that it was a teenage girl that was being pressed against the wall, by a larger teenage boy. He did not like where this was going.

He saw the male practically throw her against the side of the house, knocking the air out of her. She sank to the ground, gasping for breath. Now that the man was out of his line of sight he could get a better look at the girl in the low moonlight. He gasped.

She was a very beautiful young woman with long raven hair that surrounded a heart-shaped face, and stunning brown eyes. But what got him the most was that she was dressed in the attire of a priestess. She looked like she belonged in feudal Japan… wait a minute.

Could this be the same girl that he heard that Sota kid talking about? It had to be… there was no way that it could be a coincidence.

_'She looks just like…'_ he began but before he could finish the thought, he saw the bully walking towards her. He saw the blood drain from her face, leaving her looking dizzy and scared. He couldn't see the guy's face, but the terrified look on the girls face was more than enough for his blood to start boiling.

There was no way that he could stand back and watch her get hurt.

"I've been waiting for a long time Kagome," the bully said as he came near her. "You can't refuse me now…"

The girl was looking around her, as if hoping to try and find some escape route. Finding none, she turned sideways and readied herself for a fight…

That is until he made himself known.

"Hold it," he murmured dangerously from the darkness. "I would leave her alone if I were you."

The girl turned her head to look in his direction; Inuyasha smirked because he knew that they couldn't see him. The bully that the girl called Bankotsu growled as he looked around him, "Who's there?" he yelled. "So yourself."

"If you insist," he answered in harsh, yet deep voice. He calmly walked out of the dark and glared daggers at the bully now standing over the girl. Inuyasha saw the girl's eyes widened as he stepped into the weak moonlight.

He got an even better look at her. She had a beautiful face, with long, flowing raven hair that fell about her in dark waves. She was dressed in a soft cream kimono and dark red pants and a white hair ribbon in her hair… oh yeah, she really did look like she belonged in Japan 500 years ago.

The girl just stared at him as he came to stand just a few feet away from them and looking at Bankotsu with a look of disgust.

He then turned his head slightly to look down at her with a hungry stare in his eyes and he saw that she was looking at him in confusion.

Her smell… it made him hungry.

But he quickly turned his head away as he walked forward to Bankotsu and shoved him backwards, away from the girl.

"You should've listened," he said darkly as he advanced on Bankotsu.

Bankotsu stood his ground, and put of his fists, readying for a fight, "And you should mind your own busy dog-face."

That struck a nerve.

"As soon as I take care of you!" he yelled as he then began to fight with Bankotsu. He had to admit… this guy was pretty good. He dodged his blows and dealt back his own with deadly accuracy. But he was finally able to get behind him and punched him so hard that he fell like a ton of bricks. He hit the ground with a muffled moan.

After easily taking down that pitiful excuse for a human, he brushed off his clothes before looking over at the girl who was leaning up against the wall and asked her, "You ok?"

She seemed to be in shock because it took a minute for her to realize that he was speaking to her. "Y-y-yes," she stuttered.

After he finished brushing off the wrinkles in his clothes, he cautiously approached and crouched down in front of her before gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were shadowed by her raven hair, hiding them from his gaze. He frowned when she flinched and cowered back as far as she could, whimpering pathetically.

"Shh..." he murmured to the girl, trying to calm her as he lightly stroked her hair and said that the idiot bleeding on the ground wasn't going to bother her again.

Slowly, the girl relaxed, and allowed him to help her get back to her feet.

"So…" he asked as he looked down at unconscious teenager before continuing, "You mind telling me why this jerk was bothering you?"

The girl shook her head in disgust, "Well, he's the most popular guy at my school. All the girls at school are in love with him… except for me… and I guess…"

"He wanted you too?" he finished for her in repulsion. _'What an ass,'_ he thought. The girl nodded, while putting her face in her hands, and began shaking again.

All of a sudden, the girl then leaned towards him and began to cry. Startled, he put his hands on her shoulders as he tried to reassure her. He felt his heart melt at the sight of her tear stained face. Not knowing why he did it, he gently pushed her back to look at her face and brushed his clawed thumb across her flushed cheek, wiping away a stray tear. Fear suddenly sparked into the girls beautiful brown eyes, and his chest felt like it was about to burst from the sadness as she took a few steps backwards, away from him.

"What's your name?" he asked lightly after a few minutes of silence. He could still feel her warm touch and he wanted to feel it again. She looked at him cautiously but she then timidly smiled.

"My name's Kagome," she murmured, her eyes dropping from his. "Thank you… for saving me."

"Kagome..." he repeated before he stopped and looked up, glancing around them uneasily. Kagome stared at him in confusion, her head cocked to one side.

"I... I think we should get out of here," he murmured, grabbing Kagome's hand and pulling her towards the house. He had just realized that, aside from an unconscious Bankotsu, they were alone! He should never be left alone with a human! Especially one that smelled as heavenly as Kagome did. He was desperate to get somewhere public and, for Kagome's sake, safe.

But her magnificent, floral smell filled his nose again, making his eyes widened and his mouth water. He fought it however as he tugged Kagome towards the house, frantically wanting to get away from the smell that was making his teeth ache with the need to sink them into her flesh. He ran his tongue over his fangs, his body shaking from thirst. He glanced down at Kagome, his eyes focusing on her pulse point on her neck. He couldn't turn his eyes away from her…. mesmerize by the throb of the artery. He lost control.

Unconsciously, he started leaning in towards Kagome's neck, opening his mouth to reveal his fangs. _'Oh shit,'_ he thought as he saw Kagome freeze, staring at his fangs out of the corner of her eye. He pulled her against the wall of the house and leant against her, holding her close to him. She tried to force him off her, but he was much too strong and far too thirsty to comprehend what he was doing. His mouth immediately went to her throat, his fangs brushing her pulse point. He felt her stiffen at his touch and shake when he ran his tongue over her skin, coating the area in saliva. Before he could stop himself, he sank his fangs into the girl's throat, closing his eyes in ecstasy.

He faintly heard Kagome gasp in shock as he started to lick the blood from the wounds that he just gave her. This taste…! He loved the taste of her blood… it was the rarest and most delicious taste that he ever had in his existence. Her blood was like the finest of all wines… so sweet, so pure… he couldn't get enough.

However, he soon remembered that he had to stop before he killed her. Kagome had started to sag against him, her skin fading to an ashy white. He moved away from her neck, giving the area one last lick, once again coating the two tiny holes in saliva.

He watched as the twin holes closed over, completely healed… as if they were never there. He then glanced at Kagome's face. Her eyes were closed and her breathing faint. His eyes widened at this. He had so much of her blood that the girl had fainted. Slowly picking her up, bridal style, he cradled Kagome against his lean chest. He knew that she wasn't going to remember being bitten, but he couldn't just leave her here. He was trying to figure out what to do when he heard a door open.

He looked up to see the front door open and a few voices call out, "Kagome? Where are you? Someone said they saw you head out here?"

_'Oh double shit,'_ he thought in a panic as three teenage girls spot him holding Kagome. _'Think fast!'_

A girl that was dressed as a red devil looked in their direction and her eyes widened. "Kagome!" she yelled in a panic, causing the other two girls, a cop and a hippie, to look. The girl dressed as a hippie was about to go inside, _'Going to call the cops,' _he thought. His eyes then widened… that gave him an idea.

"About time someone got here!" he yelled. He jerked his head over to an unconscious Bankotsu before continuing, "I don't know what that guy was about to do, but he knocked this girl out!"

The girls were staring at him, then at Kagome in his arms, then at Bankotsu on the ground, and finally at each other. Not sure what to do or who to believe. Luckily for him, Bankotsu chose that moment to wake up and cry out, "Damn you mutt! When I find you, I'm going to kill you for stopping my fun!"

Inuyasha put Kagome down and went over to Bankotsu and kicked him in the head. He turned his head back to the petrified girls and called, "I think that you should go and call the cops!"

The girl in red seemed to snap out of it and ran back inside, as the other two girls went to Kagome. Once Inuyasha had made sure that Bankotsu was out like a light again, a guy dressed in red tights that made him look like an idiot, came running out. He took one look at Kagome before he knelt down beside her and took her hand.

Inuyasha turned his head away… for some reason he did NOT like this guy touching Kagome.

The girl who looked like a female-version of the devil came back out with a phone in her hands and with what looked like everyone else at the party. "The police are on their way!"

The nerd in tights then cried out rather hysterically, "Call a ambulance!"

The girl started to dial when Inuyasha stepped in and said, "Relax! She just fainted! I'm sure that she'll be just fine with some sleep. But I suggest that you take her straight home!" he turned to walk away when Hojo got up and yelled, "Who are you? What did you do?"

Annoyed, Inuyasha didn't want to answer a guy in tights but said, "I was taking a midnight stroll when I heard fighting! I came to check it out and found that guy," he pointed a thumb at Bankotsu, "Attacking the girl and I jumped in. When I took they guy out, I turned around, and she was on the ground. I picked her up to take her back in when these girls," he pointed a thumb at the three girls and went on, "Came out looking for her. That's it!"

It wasn't a total lie. He just didn't say that he sucked her blood… that's all.

"B-but…" began the guy again as Inuyasha walked away, "My name is Inuyasha." And he faded into the dark.

_*Later*_

Inuyasha watched from the dark as Bankotsu was forced into the back of a cop's car with a bleeding lip and a black eye; still dazed and confused on what happened. Inuyasha grinned before he turned his attention to the girls who were helping Kagome into a car and drove off.

He followed behind them silently, easily able to keep up with the vehicle. He followed for a short time when they pulled into the driveway of large house that looked a little bit like a shine. Curious, Inuyasha jumped onto the branches of a tree and watched as Kagome opened the door and got out.

He was relieved that she was alright, and able to get out on her own, but was also surprised that she was still able to walk after he took so much blood. He watched as she waved to her friends, and bade them goodnight. Once the car let, Kagome turned and staggered to the back door. She looked so weak and exhausted that he was worried that she was going to collapse.

He looked up at a large window and decided to enter; just to make sure that she was going to get to her room. He leapt over to the windowsill, easily opened it and quietly snuck in. He found himself in a large room with Kagome's scent all over it. This must be her room.

He quickly crept out and went downstairs just in time to see Kagome enter the kitchen. He followed her… in her tired state; there was no way that she could possibly know that he was there. He followed her through the rooms, and watched helplessly as she stumbled around the kitchen, into a hallway and up a flight of stairs. He wanted to help her, but there was no way that he could without freaking her out. And stress was not what she needed right now.

He followed her without making a sound as she climbed the stairs and watched as her body buckled at the top. He nearly went mad with worry as she just laid there for a few minutes and didn't move. He listened to Kagome's ragged breathing as she then began to crawl to the first door on the left. She raised her hand and was able to turn the doorknob and inch her way into the room.

He watched her gasp for air as she then forced herself back to her feet and fell, still in her costume, and onto her bed. He watched as she struggled for mouthfuls of air, as if she had just run a marathon and closed her eyes. It was then that a soft breeze came in; Inuyasha began cursing himself… he left the window open.

But the breeze seemed to soothe Kagome and in no time, she was asleep. Once he was sure that she was in a deep sleep, he closed her bedroom door quietly and walked over to the bed. He looked down at her sleeping face and felt a rare smile appear on his lips.

_'Kagome's nearly identical to… her…'_ he thought. There is no way that it could be a coincidence. He raised his hand and gently brushed her check. She began to breathe deeply, and Inuyasha knew that she was going to be alright; but she'll be sound asleep for most of tomorrow.

Feeling guilty, he picked up her blanket and laid it over her. He then raised her head slightly and easily pulled out the hair band. He laid her head back down… he felt his mouth water again when he looked down at her exposed neck.

It took all of his self-control to turn away and walk to her window.

Yes… Inuyasha was a vampire… that was something that he couldn't change… But he knew he couldn't stay away from her blood for long. Never in his entire existence had he EVER tasted blood as sweet as hers. He knew that he would be back for more.

He leapt out the window and raced home trying to get as far away from her as possible. He needed to let her recover before he tried to take more blood. If he tried to take anymore… it would kill her.

But he could still smell Kagome's scent… why…? He looked down at his clenched hand and saw that he still had Kagome's hair ribbon.

Smiling slightly, he put his nose to the ribbon and breathed deeply.

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	6. Cravings at Midnight!

**_Chapter Five: Cravings at Midnight!_**

Kagome opened her eyes to a bright sunlight shining in her room. Kagome blinked, trying to clear her head, and struggling to remember what happened last night. She rubbed her sore neck feeling better than she did last night, but she was still so weak that she was having trouble getting her body to move. With a great effort she was finally able to sit up and her blanket fell off her. She looked down in mild surprise.

_'Where did that come from?'_ she thought. She forced her mind to think but she was feeling so drained that she couldn't concentrate. She just didn't remember pulling the blanket up… or letting her hair down for that matter. Kagome put her hand to the back of her head to feel her long hair… where was her hair band?

She looked around the room, but couldn't see it anywhere. Maybe it fell out when she got home last night? And maybe her mom came in to wake her but decided to let her sleep in and covered her with the blanket? Kagome gave a small chuckle when she saw that she was still dressed in her costume.

With a groan, she was able to get out of bed… feeling dizzy and light-headed she almost ended up falling down on her floor and had to hold on to the bed for support until she was able to stand on her own. She staggered to her closet and changed out of her costume into a large t-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms. She threw her costume into a chair before she went to her door, only to realize that the door had been shut. _'How did…'_ she thought confused. She shook her head, putting it out of her mind; she did not want to deal with this for now. Feeling fragile and sapped of her energy, she went downstairs, having to hold onto the railing with both hands to keep herself from meeting the floor.

She limped her way into the living room where Sota was eating his bounty of candy and watching cartoons. He looked up to see Kagome and said, "Hey Kagome! About time you got up!"

Kagome looked at him confused as she went over to the couch and collapsed on it. "What do you mean?"

Sota raised his eyebrows, "It's almost 5:00 in the afternoon. I never knew that you could party that hard."

Kagome sat up in shock, "5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON!" she screamed.

Sota jumped at her scream and candy corn spilled from his lap. "Jeez!" he yelled indignantly. "Do you have to yell?" He then noticed just how pale his sister looked. "Kagome?" he asked worriedly, "What happened? You look terrible!"

Kagome took several deep breaths as she fell back on the couch, "I FEEL terrible. You remember that blood drive that we had at my school last year?"

Sota nodded, not understanding where she was going with this.

"Well, I feel the way I did back then… only it feels like I lost a lot more blood then when I donate blood," she curled up on the couch and turned over on her side muttering, "Oh… I don't feel good. I really don't."

She then felt a small object on her shoulder. She reached up to feel a wrapper; pulling it in front of her eyes, she saw a Reese's. "You should eat more," Sota's voice said sounding slightly anxious. "I know how much you love Reese's and I got a ton!"

Kagome gave him a weak smile as she began to unwrap it. She said a quick thank you and popped it into her mouth. A little while later, she realized that she felt slightly better. Thinking that more food would help, she forced her tired body into the kitchen where her mother was busy making lunch. She looked up as Kagome came in and said, "Hello there sleepyhead. Glad to see that you're finally up."

She smiled, but it quickly turned into a frown as she really looked at Kagome. "Kagome?" she asked worriedly as she put down her knife and went over to her. "Are you ok? You really don't look so good."

Kagome shook her head. "Sota said the same thing," she answered. "I don't know why I feel this way. Maybe because the only thing I eaten since lunch yesterday was a Reese's?"

Her mother nodded as she went to work on making something for Kagome.

"Mom, really it's ok," Kagome began, but swayed slightly. Her mother led her back into the living room where Sota was and told her to sit down. "Kagome? What did you do last night?"

Kagome shook her head. "I spent most of the night talking with some friends. I didn't drink anything, and even if I did, there wasn't anything alcoholic, I swear. Right around midnight, I went looking for the girls and…" she stopped. She didn't want to mention Hojo or Bankotsu… or the man who saved her… the man with golden eyes and silver hair…

"And what?" asked Sota interestedly.

"Kagome?" her mother said putting her hand on Kagome's forehead to feel her temperature. "Are you feeling alright? Your face is all red."

"Is it?" Kagome said surprised.

"And what?" Sota repeated.

"Huh? Oh, and… ah…" Kagome said blinking hard. "That's the strange part. I can't really remember. I remember being outside, and seeing this guy taking a midnight run… and then the next thing I know, I'm sitting in the car with my friends."

"A guy?" Sota asked shrewdly.

Kagome put her hand over her eyes and said, "It's nothing Sota. I didn't even know his name until Ayumi told me."

"You don't remember anything?" her mother asked surprise.

Kagome shook her head. "The girls drove me home, you guys were already asleep and I went upstairs." That was then she remembered a few things, "Mom? Did you come in my room this morning?"

Her mom shook her head. "No dear. Why do you ask?"

Kagome looked at Sota and asked, "Did you Sota?"

Sota shook his head, "Why?"

"Huh? Oh nothing," said Kagome. She couldn't admit, even to herself, why she didn't tell her mom or Sota that she had a feeling that someone was in her room last night. She mentally slapped herself. _'Come on Kagome,'_ she thought fiercely. _'There wasn't anyone else in your room. You were probably imagining it… or dreamt you did that's all. Note to self: ignore those little voices.'_

Her mother looked at her troubled, "Kagome? What's wrong?"

Kagome smiled reassuring at her mother and said, "Nothing mom. Hey… have you've seen my white hair band around? I know I had it last night… but when I woke up, it was gone."

Her mom and Sota both shook their heads again, Kagome sighed in slight disappointment. Her mom kissed Kagome on the head before she got up and went back into the kitchen to finish making some food for Kagome.

_*4 hours later*_

The rest of the evening went by quickly and before Kagome knew it, it was Sota's bedtime. She watched as he turned off the TV and got up; he said goodnight to everyone and went upstairs. "Already?" Kagome said in surprise.

"That's because you slept in for most of the day," her mother said. "How are you feeling now?"

Kagome sat up, "A lot better since I had some food. But still really tired."

Her mom nodded, "Maybe you should go up too?"

Kagome was about to refuse, but she felt her eyelids beginning to droop. She nodded, said goodnight, and followed Sota up the stairs. She was able to make it up the stairs without any problems, and she thought for sure, she would feel better in the morning.

She walked into her room and looked around, trying to figure things out. When she crawled in last night, she was sure that she left the door open… she didn't bother taking out her hair band… she was too weak to pull up the covers… and that breeze…

**_Wait a breeze?_** She looked over at her window and saw that it was open.

"How did…" she began. Did she leave the window open? She sure didn't remember opening it… _'You must've,'_ she thought. _'What else could've happened?'_

Great. Now she was having conversations with herself. She must be losing her mind.

She walked over to the window and quickly shut it. _'You're just stressed out from what happened at the party,' _she told herself. _'That's all. When you wake up tomorrow, you'll be feeling much better, and everything's going to be fine.'_

She fell onto her bed, and pulled the covers up to her chin. _'That's all,'_ she thought. _'There wasn't anyone else in here. You're just kidding yourself. You'll be fine in the morning.'_

She shut her eyes, and let her exhaustion carry her off to dreamland.

_*Midnight*_

A dark figure appeared at Kagome's window. He quickly opened the window from the outside, and slipped into her room. Without the slightest noise, he softly walked over to Kagome, who was sleeping like a baby, color back into her cheeks… and a small smile on her face from pleasant dreams.

Inuyasha let out a sigh of relief when he saw that she was alright. He had been worried that he took too much blood from her, and she was going to have to be hospitalized. He saw that she had almost completely recovered…

He grinned, revealing his fangs. He then bent over her, her beautiful scent filled his senses, making him let out a moan of thirst. He ran his tongue over his fangs, focusing on her pulse point on her neck once again. He opened his mouth and instantly went to her throat, his fangs brushing her pulse point. He felt her stir in her sleep at his touch and as he ran his tongue over her skin, coating the area in saliva; he then sank his fangs into Kagome' throat, closing his eyes in bliss, enjoying her taste and craving for more.

But he learned his lesson from the last time. He only took a little bit… knowing that if he took anymore, he would make her sick again. Unwilling, he pulled his fangs from her flesh, and licked the two puncture holes until they faded away. He licked his lips as he stood up and gently stroked Kagome's cheek. Did she just smile a little wider at his touch?

He frowned as he let his hand drop and tried to figure out what were the emotions he was feeling. He shook his head as walked over to the open window.

He would be back tomorrow… and the night after that… and the night after that… there was no way that he could stop these cravings.

But he had something special planned for Kagome soon…

He leapt out the open window and ran off into the shadows of the midnight air.


	7. Gold in the Darkness

**_Chapter Six: Gold in the Darkness _**

Kagome opened her brown eyes and felt like she was about to be sick. She groaned as she tried to roll over onto her side, but ended up tumbling to the floor instead.

"OWW!" she yelled as she landed painfully on her back. She rubbed her backside and cursed under her breath as she looked around her. Already, she could tell that this was a good day to stay in bed. She felt her vision going blurry as she tried to grasp on what was happening, and she felt her head start spinning as she forced herself to get up. Grasping hold of the bed, she looked at her digital alarm clock to see that it was almost noon.

She gasped in shock and tiredness as she walked over to the door and had to lean up against the wall to support her. She felt her vision slip in and out of focus, and she was sure that she was going to fall to the ground again as she fought for breath.

She stumbled her way into the hallway and into the bathroom… She felt so sick, that she was sure that she was going to throw up, but when she arrived at toilet, she knew that she didn't have anything left inside her stomach. What's wrong with her?

She had been sick plenty of times before, but she never felt as bad as she did right now. She leaned over the sink, and tried hard to catch her breath… and not to pass out. Not bothering to look into the mirror, she turned on the water and began to splash her face.

"Hey, sis," said a familiar voice.

Kagome looked at the open door and Sota came waltzing right in, "About time, I was just about to come in and…" he trailed off when he got a good look at his sister. He was giving her such a look of horror that Kagome knew that she must have looked at bad as she felt.

He turned from the bathroom and yelled down the stairs, "MOM! YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET UP HERE!"

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked as he came back into the bathroom. As she looked at him, she knew right away that she was getting worse, because she was beginning to see double. She could see two Sota's looking at her with scared expressions as her knees gave way and she slid to the floor.

Sota came and put his hand on her shoulder as he screamed for their mother to come up and help. Kagome leaned her head up against the sink, one hand still dipped in the water, and the other, lying uselessly at her side.

"Kagome?" said another voice that she immediately recognized as her mother's.

"Mom?" she croaked, her voice sounding as dry as sandpaper.

"Kagome?" her mother's voice said again as she felt more hands on her shoulders. Kagome looked up and she saw that she was now beginning to see triple, as 3 images of her mother were looking at her with scared expressions. "Kagome what's wrong?"

Kagome shook her head, "I don't know… I feel so weak."

Her mom helped her up to her feet, but Kagome felt as if all of her energy had been sucked away, and she had to hold onto her mom for support. She felt another pair of hands on her other side, and knew that Sota was helping her to walk.

She let her family help her back into her room and she immediately collapsed onto the bed and lay motionless.

"Mom?" Kagome whispered.

"Yes dear?" her mom asked timidly, as if scared of her.

"What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like something's been sucking the life out of me?"

Kagome's eyes darkened as she heard her mother say softly and felt the blankets being pulled up around her, "I don't know Kagome. But if you don't get better soon, then we'll take you to see a doctor. Now, please get some sleep."

Kagome didn't need telling twice.

_*Inuyasha*_

Miroku slapped Inuyasha upside the head and yelled, "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?"

A very beautiful woman stepped forward and put her hand on Miroku's shoulder to stop him, "Calm down Miroku! Getting angry isn't going to help us."

Miroku took several deep breaths and his anger almost immediately went away. "You're right, Sango. But still…"

"Back off," grunted Inuyasha as he walked pass them and flopped down onto the couch. "I haven't done anything to her yet alright?"

"Yet?" echoed Miroku.

"Inuyasha," Sango said warningly. "I swear, if you do anything to this girl…"

Inuyasha sat up irritably, "LOOK! I took some of her blood and that's it!"

"Some?" repeated a young and an annoying voice as a red-headed child came bounding into the room. "Hey, Shippo," said Sango as he came jumping over to them.

"Inuyasha!" yelled Shippo as he leapt up onto Inuyasha's head. "I decided to go and see this girl, and she's so pale that she looks like a dead body! Just how much blood did you take from her?"

Inuyasha picked Shippo up by the head with just one hand and flew him across the room, "Alright," he admitted as Shippo let out a cry of pain and Sango was shouting at him.

"I took more than I should've. But I couldn't help it."

"What do you mean you couldn't help it?" yelled Sango furiously. "You're practically killing that girl, and all you're considered about is getting a good meal?"

"Not only that," cut in Shippo who got up from the floor and rubbed his sore head, "But she looks just like Kikyo!"

Miroku and Sango both stared at Shippo before turning to look at Inuyasha, "Are you serious?" Miroku said amazed.

Inuyasha glared at Shippo with menace and Shippo had to hide behind Sango for protection. "I haven't noticed," Inuyasha said coldly.

"Oh come on!" Shippo said crossly, "She and Kikyo could've easily passed as twins!"

"Really?" said Sango excitedly. "I have to go and get a look at her now."

"You think that this girl could be…" began Miroku.

"I don't know," said Shippo. "I saw her early this morning when it was still dark out, and got a good look at her face when she was still asleep. She looks like Kikyo alright, but if she is the one that we've been waiting for…"

"It's not her," Inuyasha said bitterly as he folded his arms across his chest and started to pout. "She couldn't even fight off a weak human! She's not who we all think she is."

Miroku put his hand under his chin and thought for a moment, "It is possible that she might not know…" he paced up and down the room for a while until he spoke again, "Inuyasha… I need to see her. I should be able to tell if she's the one."

Inuyasha stood up and went storming out of the house, "There's nothing to see! Believe me, she's not the one!"

"If she's not the one," Miroku called out as his retreating back, "Then why are you going back to see her?"

Inuyasha stopped in mid-step.

"You're going back!" Sango screamed as she went storming out of the house and up to Inuyasha. "Don't tell me that you're going to go and take even MORE of her blood? If you keep this up then you're going to kill the only person who has a chance of helping us!"

Inuyasha rounded on her, "She's not the one ok? And I'm not going to kill her! I was just going out!" He then turned and went running off before anyone could stop him.

"Damn him!" Sango said pissed off. "That Inuyasha… what the heck does he think he's doing?"

_*Later*_

When it was near midnight, Inuyasha had once again arrived at Kagome's window and stepped inside without making the slightest sound, except for a tiny creak of the floorboards. He calmly walked over to her bed to where she was sleeping, as a cold breeze from the outside swept over him.

As he looked down at her face, he saw that what Shippo said was true; Kagome looked no different than a corpse with all the blood that he had taken from her. He felt sick to his stomach… he was sickened with himself.

Sango was right, he was killing her. Just because he couldn't stop his nighttime cravings, she could end up dying because of him… he made up his mind.

He couldn't stop himself from taking her blood, but he was only going to take one sip from now on. It wasn't much, but at least he could still taste her blood and not have to worry about hurting her. He nodded as he bent down towards her neck again… just one small sip, that was all he wanted.

But as he was only a few inches from her, something happened that he did not expect…

… she opened her eyes and was staring into his own.

_*Kagome*_

Kagome didn't get out of bed for the rest of the day. She slept, trying desperately to recover from her sickness, and to figure out what was causing it. Sota and her mom came in several times, almost every hour, and she sometimes heard them talking outside her door:

_"Mom, what's wrong with her? I've never seen her look so sick before," said Sota's voice._

_"I don't know Sota," answered her mom's voice. "But if she gets any worse, then we'll have to call a doctor."_

_'Doctor? No thanks,'_ thought Kagome. She hated hospitals, and she didn't want to go to one unless she had to. She shut her eyes and drifted off again, hoping that the next time she woke up, she would be better.

_*Later*_

Kagome opened her eyes to see that darkness had filled up her room. She blinked several times, and she realized that she felt much better. The sickness was gone, and she felt much stronger… the tiredness was still there, but she no longer felt sleepy. She looked at her bedside table on her left to see that her clock read 11:55 p.m. Almost midnight…

Kagome wasn't sleepy, but her eyes still felt heavy as they slid shut. She felt much better than when she woke up today, so much so that she might be able to go to school in just a few hours.

She hated dragging herself to school, but she rather be there, then laying here in a sickbed.

She laid there motionless for a few minutes, trying to let her eyes relax… was she starting to dream again? Was that the creak of her floors she just heard? Or was it from a branch outside?

And where did that breeze come from? She thought that she closed the window already… was that how she was getting sick? From the cold air? She would be sure to close it in the morning…

… but… maybe she should close it now? Just in case? She felt well enough to get up for just a minute. She opened her eyes… only to see a pair of gold ones staring back at her in the dark…


	8. Dark Shadows at Midnight

**_Chapter Seven: Dark Shadows at Midnight_**

Kagome stared into the golden orbs that shone like miniature suns in the dark, and Kagome could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She blinked hard… and then, the eyes were gone. She sat bolt up-right, staring around her room in terror; breathing hard, she didn't see anyone else.

She got out of bed and ran to the light switch and flicked it on. Her room was suddenly bathed in light, but there wasn't anyone else there but her. No way… maybe she was sicker than she thought.

Maybe she was starting to hallucinate? Even if there WAS someone in this room with her, there was no way that they could've escaped so quickly.

She went to her open window and stared down at the streets. She looked up and down the street, but she couldn't see anything in the low light. Scared, she shut the window and locked it tightly. Shaking, she crawled under her covers, and curled up… leaving her light on.

She tried to calm herself, but the idea that someone else could've been in her room scared her so badly that she couldn't stop trembling. She just clutched her blankets close to her and kept her eyes fixed on the window for the next few hours.

She didn't know what she was expecting… a criminal with a knife knocking on her window? Luckily, the only thing that she saw after a couple hours of constant staring moved outside was a few leaves falling onto her windowsill.

But around 3 in the morning, her eyes began to droop again. She didn't know what was causing her sudden sleepiness… and what was that smell? It smelled sweet, and soothing… what was it?

Whatever the scent was, it caused her to fall back into a dreamless sleep.

_*Outside*_

Inuyasha was cursing himself from up on top of the roof. Damn it! She saw him! How was he supposed to know that she was still awake? If he didn't run when he did, things were going to get even more complicated than they already were.

As he stared down into her beautiful brown eyes, he felt a pure terror fill him. This was something that he didn't understand… he had lived for so long and had fought all sorts of danger.

He had been shunned all his life… both before and after he became a vampire. He had nothing. And he had struggled for as long as he could remember to pull his life out of the gutter. No one helped him, not even for one minute… he had his back against the wall ever since the day he was born…

He had to fight just to live to see the next day… and here he was… afraid of a girl? He had to get out of here, and he took his chance when he saw that she was going to blink. As soon as she shut her eyes, he flew to the window and jumped.

Now he was up on the roof, right above her window. He watched as her bedroom light came on and she stuck her head out to look up and down the street. He waited until she stuck her head back in and he listened to her ragged breathing.

He continued to wait for her to fall asleep again, but after a few hours, and no signs of her drifting to sleep again came… he reached into his kimono and pulled out a few leaves and a lighter.

He clicked the lighter and a tiny flame appeared; he burned the edges of the leaves and let them fall onto Kagome's windowsill. This was a leaf from a special plant that he used when he wanted to sneak around and not have to worry about being spotted… when this leaf is burnt, it lets off a fume that puts humans into a deep sleep.

And they wake up feeling like a million bucks a few hours later.

He listened again, and in no time at all, Kagome's ragged breathing was replaced by calm and deep breaths. He knew that the plant had done its job and she was asleep.

He quietly climbed down off the roof and to her window. He noticed that the window was shut and locked, not that it was a problem for him. He used his claws to easily slid open the locks and quietly opened the window.

He stepped back into the room and walked over to her bed. There was no need to be worried that she would wake up this time. The leaves would insure that she would be out for a few more hours…

He looked down at her sleeping form; she was clutching her blankets tightly to her chest and was curled up into a ball. He frowned… he could smell the taste of fear in the room. He knew he must've really scared her.

He bit his lower lip and made a decision. He wouldn't take any blood from her tonight. The least he could do to make up for scaring her… and the truth was…

She had every reason to be afraid of him.

He bent down low over her and gently moved her into a more comfortable position on her back and covered her more with the blanket. Did she seem to calm down a little more at his touch? She relaxed almost instantly as soon as his hands touched her own.

He shook the thought out of his head as he shut the window. Kagome would be even more scared if she saw that her window was unlocked. No, he would leave through her brother's window.

He quietly snuck out of Kagome's room, leaving the light on and shutting the door behind him, before heading across the hall to where he knew Sota was sleeping. He wouldn't touch the boy however. One person being attacked by a vampire was enough for this family.

He silently slipped into her brother's room. He smirked at the sport posters covering every square foot of the blue walls, the toys and games that were littering the floor, and the sleeping boy snoring loudly on the bed.

He shook his head again as he went to the window and leapt out into the night.

_*In the Morning*_

Kagome opened her eyes to a bright sunshine through her closed window and she sat up instantly. The first thing that she noticed was that she felt better than she had since Halloween morning.

She felt good. No, she felt great! She felt like she could conquer the world today… that nothing could stop her… She felt like a million bucks!

She got out of bed and went over to her mirror to get a look at herself. She smiled widely when she saw that her skin was back to its creamy color, her eyes were shining and full of life, and her body was shimmering with health.

She stood up and stretched, enjoying the feeling of being out of bed and not feeling like she was going to be sick. Whatever she had, it looked like it had passed, and for that, she was grateful.

She went to her closet and pulled out her favorite shirt and jeans and went to the bathroom to take a well-needed shower.

_*Later*_

After she washed her hair and taken a shower, she felt nearly back to normal as she went skipping downstairs and into the kitchen.

Her mother, who was frying some eggs, looked up in surprise to see Kagome skipping and humming a tune as she sat down at the table.

"Morning mom!" Kagome sang as she reached for some orange juice.

"Morning Kagome," her mother said in a surprised voice as she went over to Kagome and felt her forehead. "You look like you're doing so much better."

Kagome nodded as she drank her entire glass of juice. "Yep! I feel great! I guess whatever I had passed over."

Her mom sighed in relief as she went back to her eggs and put some on a plate for Kagome, "Thank goodness. You had me worried sick. Now that you're feeling better, you need food. You haven't had anything to eat all day yesterday. You need to make up for that."

While Kagome and her mom talked merrily to each other, Sota came into the room, rubbing his tired eyes and saying a hoarse voice, "Morning."

"Morning Sota," Kagome said through a mouthful of egg.

Sota blinked in surprise to see Kagome sitting at the table, looking as if nothing had happened. "Hey sis," he said as he took his seat, "You look 100 times better than the last time I saw you. I guess all that sleep did the trick right?"

Kagome could only nod as she continued to eat. She couldn't lie; she was starving. She felt like she could eat a horse… or at least a small cow.

Once everyone had eaten, they all gathered in the car, and mom drove Sota and Kagome to school like she did every school day. The way that everyone was acting, you never would've thought that Kagome had been looking like a walking corpse just yesterday. That is until Sota had to open his mouth.

"Too bad you didn't get sick today," said Sota from the backseat. "Then you could've missed school!"

Kagome shuttered, "No thanks. I rather be in school then feeling as sick as I did."

Thankfully, Sota's school came into sight and Sota jumped out after giving his mom a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye mom, bye Kagome," he said and ran out to find his friends.

The ride over to Kagome's school was quiet, and by the time that they arrived, Kagome was more than ready to get out and get some fresh air. She gave mom a quick kiss and jumped out, "Bye mom!" she yelled as she enjoyed the air for the first time in days.

_*Inside*_

Kagome was busy doing some last-minute homework that she didn't get a chance to finish due to her being sick. If she hurried, then she might get it done before class starts…

"KAGOME!" cried out Eri's voice.

Or not.

She looked up and saw Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka running towards her. "Hey Kagome," said Yuka giving her a quick hug.

"How're you doing?" asked Eri.

"We were getting worried when we didn't hear from you all weekend," said Ayumi.

Kagome sighed as she put on a fake smile, "Yeah, sorry about that," she said. "I was sick all weekend. I think I caught something from the party last week. But I'm feeling better today! In fact I feel great!"

Homework forgotten, she spent a few minutes talking to her friends, that is until the bell rang. Mentally swearing to herself, she worked as fast as she could on her worksheets, praying that the teacher would forget about collecting it.

No such luck. As soon as her teacher came into the room, the first thing that he asked for was the homework. Sighing grumpily, Kagome passed her half-way finished homework forward. That was one F that she knew she was going to get.

The rest of the day went by quickly and by the time that she got home, she felt like she only just got up to start the day. She didn't know how she was going to get to sleep tonight, but as the evening drew on, she could feel the energy she had this morning slowly fading away.

She stayed up later than she normally did, and finished all the homework that she needed to catch up on. By the time she finished, it was nearing midnight.

Sighing, she turned off her computer and trudged up to bed. Before she changed, and crawled under her covers, she made sure that her window was still locked. Smiling slightly, feeling safer, she went to bed, thinking that tomorrow was going to be better.

But as sleep slowly overtook her… not only did a dark figure appear outside her window… she began to dream of a pair of golden eyes.


	9. Moonless Dreams

**_Chapter Seven: Moonless Dreams_**

The dark figure outside waited until he was 100% sure that the figure inside was sound asleep. He quietly opened the window and stepped into the room without making a sound as he always did. He waited a few more moments as if waiting to see if Kagome would move again…

When she didn't, he felt that it would be safe to approach her bed. Once again, he was standing over the girl and was about to take more of her blood.

Inuyasha hated this… he wanted to leave the girl alone… but…

But he knew that there was no chance that he could stay away from her blood. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up though.

He couldn't come back EVERY night for the rest of her life. He knew that he had to find some way to get out of this… but until then…

He bent over her and bit into her neck once again.

Oh it was as sweet and delicious as it always was. He shut his eyes in bliss… but remembering his vow…

He would only take one taste. He didn't want to end up hurting her or making her sick again. So with a great amount of effort, he licked the wound close and pulled away from Kagome's neck. Licking his lips he turned and was about to leave when he heard a slight groan from behind him.

Freezing he turned to see Kagome beginning to stir. Thinking fast he reached into his pocket and pulled out the lighter and a leaf from last night and lit it. As the fumes began to fill the room, Kagome opened her eyes and her gaze landed on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha didn't know why he didn't just leave… he just found himself transfixed by her eyes as gold stared into brown for a long time. Kagome's eyes widened for a moment as she opened her mouth to scream… but she then closed it as the plant began to do its job. He stared long and hard at her as the fumes quickly made her drift back to sleep.

When her eyes drooped, he turned and ran from the room, but in his hurry, he didn't notice that he dropped some more of the leaves.

_*Kagome*_

Kagome suddenly came out of her deep sleep, wondering what had awoken her until she had felt a slight pain in her neck. She didn't think too much of it because the pain had gone almost as quickly as it had come. But as she stirred slightly, she thought that she could hear the rustle of clothes, and the 'click' of lighter.

Her eyes then opened as a sweet scent rushed into her nose. She looked around her dark room, trying to detect where the scent was coming from… and then she saw him.

There was a young man with hair shining like moonlight and eyes like miniature golden suns glowing in the darkness. He was dressed in a bright red t-shirt and ripped jeans, a necklace that looked like it was made of beads hung around his neck, and what appeared to have been an old sword hanging at his hip.

But what amazed her most wasn't the sword, hair, or the plants that he was burning in his hand… it were the dog ears that were twitching around. She took a long look at him and opened her mouth to start screaming. (I mean, if someone was in your room in the middle of the night, wouldn't you?)

But as she took a deep breath, the sweet smell filled her and she found that she couldn't utter a single word. She felt as if someone had stuck a gallon of Novocain into her and she felt herself dozing.

She blinked… and he was gone… was he a dream? Or not? She didn't know anymore as she blacked out.

_*Morning* _

Kagome woke up feeling as great as she did yesterday. She looked around at her bright room, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary and was about to get ready for school when she noticed something on her floor.

She got out of bed and bent down to pick them up. The edges of the leaf were burnt and crumpling…

She gasped as she immediately stood up to stare at her window. Someone was in her room last night… maybe even more than once… and she was going to find out who.

_*School*_

Kagome decided to skip lunch and to spend her time in the library. She was looking up the leaf she found this morning on the computer, trying to find out what kind of plant it was and why that guy would've been burning it. After a while of hopeless searching she felt a slight tap on her shoulder.

She turned to see the one person that she had been dreading to see since the party.

"Hello Hojo," she whispered in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Kagome," Hojo said with a goofy smile that annoyed her even more. "Hey, I've been trying to talk to you for the last few days…"

"Yeah," Kagome whispered quickly, "I've been sick all weekend… and I've been doing some research so I'm really busy."

Hojo pulled up a seat right next to her and said, "You've been sick? I wish I'd known… you know you could've told me so I could've come over and…"

"NO!" Kagome practically shouted and earning a deathly glare from the librarian and the few other students in the room.

Kagome looked around the room sheepishly and mouthed, 'Sorry.'

"Kagome," said Hojo as he noticed the leaf in her hand and the website she was on. ".com?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah," Kagome said as she went back to work looking at the computer screen. Hoping that he would go away, she said, "I'm trying to find out what kind of plant this leaf came from… for… ah… report on exotic plants."

_'Boy what a lame excuse,'_ she thought. But luckily Hojo seemed to buy it.

"Oh, well in that case… you want some help? I've done a report on plants before and I know some of the best sights to go to."

Kagome didn't know how to get rid of him politely. She finally sighed and said, "Ok."

Surprisingly, it turns out that Hojo did know some pretty good sites on plants, and in no time they found out what they were looking for.

"Valerian root?" Kagome read interestedly.

"Valerian root," Hojo read out for her. "This is one of the oldest and most widely used herbal sleep remedies. Unlike many other herbs, valerian root has been the subject of several clinical trials where it was found to help people fall asleep faster and get a more restful night's sleep. It is said that when the leaves of Valerian root is burned the fume that is created can put a person into a deep sleep and have them waking up well-rested and full of energy the next day."

Kagome thought it over. She looked down at the little leaf and realized that her suspicions were correct. Someone had to have been in her room last night… she couldn't think of another explanation to what was going on…

But if someone was in her room… what was he doing? He hadn't done anything to her… If he had wanted to hurt her, then he would have done so. What was going on?

"Kagome?" Hojo's voice said suddenly and knocking her out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" she asked as she came back to reality. "Did you say something?"

"I was just wondering if you thought it over?" he said turning to face her.

"Thought what over?" asked Kagome.

"Well," said Hojo as he took both of her hands in his, causing Kagome to feel really uncomfortable. Doesn't this guy get the hint? She likes him as a friend but she doesn't have any romantic feelings for him at all.

"I was just wondering if you thought about being my girlfriend?" Hojo asked a little too confidently.

"Ahhh," began Kagome trying to think of an excuse. Thankfully, the bell rang at that moment, saving her from answering. She got up quickly and said, "Sorry, Hojo! I have to head to my next class. I'll get back to you on that."

She then turned and practically ran from the library.

Hojo stared after with a mixture of surprise and happiness. _'Wow,'_ he thought gleefully. _'She's so shy around me, she can hardly talk! She likes me more than I first thought!'_

(Yeah… keep dreaming Hojo.)

Kagome went home that day thinking, 'Honestly Hojo… what's it gonna take to get through to you?'

She spent the rest of the evening doing her homework… but after she left school, she stopped by the store to buy all the caffeine drinks that she could carry and most sugary candy. If she was going to be getting any answers then she had to stay awake tonight.

And if that guy tries to use that plant again, she needed the sugar rush.

She went to bed that night at her usual time, but before she climbed under the covers, she drank as much sugar and caffeine that she could take.

She then laid in bed… pretending to sleep. She kept her eyes shut, and tried her best not to move.

She couldn't help but look at her clock every 5 minutes though. This waiting was torture. She wanted answers and she decided to stay up the whole night if she had to. But it wasn't until after midnight did something finally happen.

Kagome lay still, just beginning to think that maybe nothing was going to happen after all, when she heard her window open. She took a slight intake of breath but didn't do anything.

She just waited as she heard the sound of a pair of feet hit her floor and slowly walk over to where she was. She continued to pretend to be asleep, wanting to know what this guy was going to do… and if he was dangerous

Even if he was, she had decided to keep Sota's baseball bat under her blankets… just in case.

She could practically feel this guy watching her as she felt him standing right next to her bed. Curious, she began to think about what he was going to do… that is until she could feel his breath on her neck.

That was when her eyes snapped open and her hand shot up to grab the intruder by the hair.


	10. A Vampire's Fang

**_Chapter Eight: A Vampire's Fang_**********

_*Kagome*_

She could practically feel this guy watching her as she felt him standing right next to her bed. Curious, she began to think about what he was going to do… that is until she could feel his breath on her neck.

That was when her eyes snapped open and her hand shot up to grab the intruder by the hair.

"AHHH!" the intruder screamed as he wrenched back away from her. Kagome gasped at how easily he pulled her across the bed and onto the floor like she was a rag doll. She thought that he was strong… just didn't THAT strong.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Kagome screamed as he tried to pull out of her grasp.

"LET GO!" the intruder yelled.

"ANSWER ME FIRST!" Kagome yelled back, refusing to let go of his hair.

"LOOK YOU BETTER LET ME GO BEFORE I…" he screamed back, but before he could finish his threat they both heard another voice shout out, "Kagome?"

Ah crap, it was her mom.

"Kagome? What's with all the shouting?" her mother called from out in the hallway.

"Yeah sis!" called out Sota's voice. "Some of us have a soccer game tomorrow!"

"Nothing!" Kagome called out in what she hoped was a cheerful voice as she clamped her hand over the boys' mouth. "I just had a bad nightmare! It's nothing! Just go back to sleep!"

"But I thought that I heard another voice?" her mother said as Kagome heard footsteps and she knew that her mom was just outside the bedroom door.

"Ah…" Kagome said, trying to think fast of an explanation. "That's my TV! I was watching a horror film, but I fell asleep and when I heard screaming from the movie I woke up screaming!"

At that moment, the boy forced her hand from his mouth and hissed, "Come on… you think anyone's going to by that?"

"Shut up," Kagome hissed back. "You should be glad that I don't call for the police. I have some questions and you're not leaving until they're answered."

Just then she heard her mom say, "Well… alright dear. But please don't watch those kinds of movies at night. You know that they give you nightmares."

"Yes mom!" Kagome yelled back as she put her hand over the boys' mouth again.

"Man, sis," Sota's voice sounded sleepy, "I know kids half your age and they watch horror movies all the time!"

"Yeah, well they're all sick," Kagome whispered under her breath. She stayed quiet until she heard both pairs of feet return to their rooms and waited until she was sure that they were back to sleep.

She turned the boy and removed her hand, "Ok… I know that this isn't the first time that you've been in my room. I want to know who you are, and why you're here. And most of all… what you're doing here!"

The boy glared at her and said, "I don't have to explain anything to you."

Kagome felt her anger rise. "You break into MY room, I don't know how many times, and you think that you DON'T have to explain yourself?"

The boy turned his head away from her and Kagome, losing patience, grabbed more of his hair and forced him to look at her in the eyes. Just as she did however, the moonlight from her open window suddenly shined in, bathing everything in an eerie light.

As Kagome was able to get a clear look at the boy's face, her eyes widened and a blushing red began to cover her cheeks. The way that his silver hair blended into the moonlight, and the way that his golden eyes shone from his handsome face made her heart feel as if it were about to jump out of her chest. But apparently she wasn't the only one who seemed to be seemed to be unable to turn away; the boy also seemed to be mesmerized with her face…

In her surprise, she let go of his hair and stared at him… "I know your face…" she whispered. "You were the one who helped me on Halloween… you're Inuyasha…"

"Keh," Inuyasha said as he stood up and headed towards the window again. "Now that you know, I'm outta here." But as he stepped onto the windowsill, Kagome leapt up and grabbed him by the hair once again.

"OWW!" he yelled, "MY HAIR'S ATTACHED YOU KNOW!" before Kagome put her hand over his mouth again.

"QUIET!" she hissed. "I don't think that I can blame that scream on the horror film again. Now… I have some questions and you're going to answer them!"

"Look just let me go… and we'll pretend that this encounter never happened," he said.

"Oh no…" she said tighten her grip. "Until you tell me what's going on and exactly who you are, I'm not letting go."

"Well I hope you're comfortable. 'Cause I an't telling you anything."

"Who are you?" Kagome pressed on, "I know that I saw you the other night. And you owe me some answers! Why are you coming into my room? I…"

She stopped when a flash of moonlight reflected off something white on his lip… that was when she saw them…

"Y...you..." she stuttered letting go of his hair and took a step backwards as terror began to wash over her. "You have f… fangs… you're a…"

She leaned back up against her wall, trying to get as far away as she could from him. Inuyasha sighed and walked over to her. But Kagome only pressed herself even further closer to the wall.

"Yes," Inuyasha sighed, "I have fangs."

"Then…" she stuttered, "D-d-does th-that mea-mean t-that y-you a…You're a... a…" Kagome couldn't finish her sentence, still so deep in shock that she didn't realize just how close they actually were.

"A vampire?" Inuyasha finished for her.

"B… but, vampire's aren't real!" Kagome burst out. "This is a dream right? Please tell me yes. I mean, it has to be that…or… or those fangs aren't real and you're lying!"

Inuyasha gave her a smirk revealing more of his fangs in the shining moon and all he said was, "You really want to know the truth? Then you must come find me… tomorrow."

Kagome's jaw fell open. "You're kidding right?"

"Look…" said Inuyasha clearly irritated. "I'm giving you one chance. ONE chance. If you can find me by tomorrow night… then I'll tell you everything that you want to know. You have until midnight tomorrow to find me. If you do… then I'll answer all of your questions."

Kagome looked at him through narrow eyes, trying to figure out what he was planning. "Why are you doing this? I mean… you could finish me off right now and get away and no one would ever know. Why are you doing this?"

"Look," Inuyasha getting angry. "If you want any answers… then you have to come and find me. I'm giving you this one chance to get your questions answered."

"And if I fail?" she asked.

Inuyasha only grinned wider, causing Kagome to tremble.

"You'll see," was all he said. He then leaned down until his lips were right next to Kagome's ear, which caused Kagome to blush even more, and her heart to speed up about a 190 miles an hour. He then whispered into her ear, "How is the moon like a dollar? Once you figure that out… divide that between two."

He leaned back to look at her full in the face. Kagome blinked… and he was gone. Kagome fell to her knees shaking like a leaf, with her hands over her heart wondering what just happened.

She had no idea how long she sat there or even what time it was… all she knew was that every second she sat there seemed to pass like an eternity. But it all became clear what time it was when her alarm clock suddenly went off, telling her that she had to get ready for school. Kagome stood shakily, having to hold onto her wall for support, still shaking.

She had just decided that it was all a dream and that maybe she had nothing to worry about… that is until she reached over to turn off her alarm… there were several long strands of silver hair wrapped around her fingers.

_*Inuyasha*_

Inuyasha felt as if he was about to jump out of his skin when the sleeping girl on the bed suddenly jumped up and grabbed him by the hair.

"AHHH!" Inuyasha screamed as he wrenched back away from her, trying to make a break to the open window. He thought that he heard her gasp as he began to pull her across the room, but he ignored it as he fought his way to the window, trying hard not to hurt Kagome.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Kagome screamed as he tried to pull out of her grasp.

"LET GO!" Inuyasha yelled back, trying to pull his hair out of her gasp.

"ANSWER ME FIRST!" Kagome yelled back, refusing to let go him.

"LOOK YOU BETTER LET ME GO BEFORE I…" he screamed back, but before he could finish his threat they both heard another voice shout out, "Kagome?"

Ah crap, it must be her mom.

"Kagome? What's with all the shouting?" her mother called from out in the hallway.

"Yeah sis!" called out her brother's voice. "Some of us have a soccer game tomorrow!"

"Nothing!" Kagome called out in what was supposed to be in a cheerful voice as she clamped her hand over Inuyasha's mouth, although to Inuyasha, she sounded more like a half-mad lunatic.

"I just had a bad nightmare! It's nothing really! Just go back to sleep!"

"But I thought that I heard another voice?" her mother said as he heard footsteps and he knew that her mom was just outside the bedroom door.

And she heard his voice? Ah, double crap.

"Ah…" Kagome said. "That's my TV! I was watching a horror movie but I fell asleep and when I heard screaming from the movie I woke up screaming!"

What? That had to have been one of the lamest excuses he ever heard in his life. He forced her hand from his mouth and hissed, "Come on… you think anyone's going to by that?"

"Shut up," Kagome hissed back. "You should be glad that I don't call for the police. I have some questions and you're not leaving until they're answered."

_'Oh really?'_ thought Inuyasha as she put her hand back over his mouth. _'You honestly think that you can keep me here? You have a lot to learn about vampires.'_

Just then he heard Kagome's mom say, "Well… alright dear. But please don't watch those kinds of movies at night. You know that they give you nightmares."

He couldn't believe that they bought that.

"Yes mom!" Kagome yelled back in a relived tone.

"Man, sis," her brother suddenly said, sounding sleepy, "I know kids half your age and they watch horror movies all the time!"

_'Yeah, well they're all sick,'_ thought Inuyasha.

"Yeah, well they're all sick," Kagome whispered under her breath. They both stayed quiet until they heard both pairs of feet return to their rooms.

Kagome then turned to him and removed her hand, "Ok… I know that this isn't the first time that you've been in my room. I want to know who you are, and why you're here. And most of all… what you're doing!"

Inuyasha glared at her and said, "I don't have to explain anything to you."

_'Believe me…'_ he thought. _'You don't want to know.'_

He saw Kagome's face turn red from anger before she hissed, "You break into MY room, I don't know how many times, and you think that you DON'T have to explain yourself?"

Inuyasha turned his head away from her but then Kagome, grabbed more of his hair and forced him to look at her in the eyes. Just as she did however, the moonlight from her open window suddenly shined in, bathing everything in an eerie light. Including their faces.

As Inuyasha was able to get a clear look at Kagome's face, he felt his eyes widened and a red began to cover his cheeks. The way that her ivory skin shone in the light, and the way that her raven hair sparkled as if there was glitter made her look like a moon goddess.

But apparently he wasn't the only one who seemed to be seemed to be unable to turn away; for some reason, Kagome also seemed to be mesmerized with his face…

To his surprise, she let go of his hair and she continued to stare at him… "I know your face…" she whispered. "You were the one who helped me on Halloween… you're Inuyasha…"

"Keh," Inuyasha said as he stood up and headed towards the window again. _'She remembered me? This isn't good.'_

Knowing that now was a good time to disappear… he said, "Now that you know, I'm outta here." But as he stepped onto the windowsill, Kagome leapt up and grabbed him by the hair once again.

"OWW!" he yelled, "MY HAIR'S ATTACHED YOU KNOW!" before Kagome put her hand over his mouth again.

"QUIET!" she hissed. "I don't think that I can blame that scream on a horror movie again. Now… I have some questions and you're going to answer them!"

"Look just let me go… and we'll pretend that this encounter never happened," he said trying desperately to think of a good excuse. I mean, what do you say to someone in this type of situation?

"Oh no…" she said tighten her grip. "Until you tell me what's going on and exactly who you are, I'm not letting go."

"Well I hope you're comfortable. 'Cause I an't telling you anything," he said, getting angry. Man, she did NOT know when to let something go did she?

"Who are you?" Kagome pressed on, "I know that I saw you the other night. And you owe me some answers! Why are you coming into my room? I…"

But before she could continue… he saw her look at his lip and she froze.

"Y...you..." she stuttered letting go of his hair and took a step backwards as terror began to wash over her. "You have f… fangs… you're a…"

Oh, triple crap.

She leaned back up against her wall, trying to get as far away as she could from him. Inuyasha sighed and walked over to her. But Kagome only pressed herself even further closer to the wall.

"Yes," Inuyasha sighed, "I have fangs."

"Then…" she stuttered, "D-d-does th-that mea-mean t-that y-you a…You're a... a…" Kagome couldn't seem to be able to finish talking so he finished for her, "A vampire?"

"B… but, vampire's aren't real!" Kagome burst out.

_'Oh you wish,'_ thought Inuyasha.

"This is a dream right? Please tell me yes. I mean, it has to be that…or… or those fangs aren't real and you're lying!"

Inuyasha gave her a smirk revealing more of his fangs in the shining moon and that was when he was hit with an idea to settle this. "You really want to know the truth? Then you must come and find me… tomorrow."

Kagome's jaw fell open. "You're kidding right?"

"Look…" said Inuyasha clearly irritated. "I'm giving you one chance. ONE chance. If you can find me by tomorrow night… then I'll tell you everything that you want to know. You have until midnight tomorrow to find me. If you do… then I'll answer all of your questions."

Kagome looked at him through narrow eyes, as if thinking that he was scheming something else. "Why are you doing this?" she asked him. "I mean… you could finish me off right now and get away and no one would ever know. Why are you doing this?"

"Look," Inuyasha getting angry. Seriously what was wrong with this girl? "If you want any answers… then you have to come and find me. I'm giving you this one chance to get your questions answered."

"And if I fail?" she asked.

Inuyasha only grinned wider, causing Kagome to tremble.

"You'll see," was all he said. He then leaned down until his lips were right next to Kagome's ear, and whispered into her ear, "How is the moon like a dollar? Once you figure that out… divide that between two."

He leaned back to look at her full in the face and waited for the right opportunity. She blinked… and he had run off into the night before she had opened her eyes again.


	11. Crimson Secrets

**_Chapter Nine: Crimson Secrets_**

How is the moon like a dollar? That was the only clue she had to figure out where her nighttime vampire was. He had told her that if she could find him by midnight tonight, then he would tell her what was going on… like who he was, and what she had gotten herself into.

But how did she know if he was telling the truth? He could easily have been lying just to get her hopes up and then give her a hard slap in the face later on.

How did she know that she could trust him?

Was Inuyasha the reason why she felt so sick and weak lately? Was he coming into her room every night and taking her blood? If that's the case… then why wasn't she a vampire by now? She thought that once you were bitten by a vampire you become one as well. And why was he after her blood in the first place?

But most importantly… why did this have to happen?

What is going on? She was afraid that the only way that she could get her answers is if she found him again… the question now is… where is he?

And what did he mean by 'how is the moon like a dollar? Once you figure that out… divide that between two? Stupid vampire…

Kagome was sitting in class that afternoon, trying hard not to fall asleep, and to figure out what she was going to do. She pretended to listen to her teacher going on and on about maps and how to read them… oh how she hated this class.

She went back to thinking how a moon and a dollar are similar…

Well… they both… they both what? Both the dollar and the moon have a face… kinda. But she knew that it couldn't be the right answer. She sighed as she ran her hand through her hair in an irritated manner before she then reached into her pocket to feel the several strands of silver hair that she had pulled from Inuyasha last night.

She didn't know why she was carrying them with her… maybe as a reminder that last night really happened and it wasn't just a crazy dream? Every once in awhile, she would think that it was all just her imagination and that none of it had happened or that maybe she was just going nuts… and then she would look in her pocket to see that it wasn't.

She was about to take the hairs out to look at them again when she heard her teacher snap at her, "Can you answer the question Kagome?"

"False?" Kagome said quickly not having the slightest clue to what the question was.

"Correct Kagome," the teacher said smiling before turning back to the giant map that covered the usually chalk covered board. "Rivers always flow downstream. Now as you can see from these contour lines…"

Hardly believing her luck, she started to pay attention for the first time that morning. After taking a few notes, her teacher said the one thing that every kid dreads hearing.

"Now class, for your homework…" he began.

"AWWWW," moaned the entire class.

"Now now," he said as he smiled at their displeasure. "You'll like this one. You each come up here to this map and pick a location of the city to do a report on. It's completely free choice. But you have to pick fast because everyone must choose a different place."

Kagome got up with the rest of her classmates and headed up to the chalkboard to pick a location that looked good. But of course she might not have to worry about doing homework anymore if a certain vampire gets his way.

She was in the back of the crowd of students who were all checking off places on the map and talking excitedly to each other.

"I'm going to do it on the national park!" said one of the girls.

"How about the Hakurei cemetery?" asked one boy.

"I'm doing 'Frankie's Weenies'!" said another boy causing his friends to laugh.

Kagome was hardly listening to what was going on around her, so lost in her thoughts on how a dollar and the moon could have in common, until she heard two girls in front of her ask her if she had change for a dollar.

"Huh? Oh sure," Kagome said reaching into her pocket and pulling out a few coins. "You need quarters?"

"Yes," said one of the girls as they traded money. Kagome was about to hand over the coins when she found herself staring at them… as if mesmerized. At first she didn't understand what why she was so transfixed… that is until she realized that she had discovered the answer she was looking for.

The moon and a dollar both have quarters!

The 4 quarters for the dollar bill… and the quarters of the moon phases…

But this helps her how?

"Kagome?" they asked her. "Are you ok?"

"Huh? Oh yeah… I was just thinking about something," Kagome said. She barely noticed the exchange, as her brain began working furiously, trying to put the pieces together. She was sure that the quarters were the right answer… but divide that in two? That's half… half of what?

Divide in two? That's half… half of the moon?

"Kagome?" her teacher's voice said. "Are you going to choose a subject or are you going to take an F?"

Kagome really needed to start paying attention.

She went up to the map and was ready to go and chose some random place from the map… when something caught her eye…There in the very center of the map was a large blue spot that was marked Half-Moon Cove.

So this must've been what he meant! She couldn't think of another answer… the moon and a dollar both have quarters and when you divide that by two, it's half. Half the moon…

Kagome felt as if fireworks were going off inside her. "I choose Half-Moon Cove."

Half-Moon Cove… she was sure that she was going to find her answers… hopefully.


	12. HalfMoon Cove

**_Chapter Ten: Half-Moon Cove_**

_*Home*_

"Kagome? Are you sure? It's a little late to be going out isn't it? Can't you look it up on your computer? or at least wait until tomorrow to go do some research?"

"No mom!" Kagome said forcefully. "I need to do it tonight! Look, I promise to be back before it gets too late."

She hated lying to her mom, but it's not like she could tell her, 'Sorry mom. The real reason I want to go to Half-Moon Cove tonight is because I'm supposed to meet a vampire and who knows what he plans to do with me.'

Yeah… she'll be happy about that.

"Well," her mother said slowly. "Alright. But it's a school night so don't stay out too late."

"Yes," Kagome said as she ran out the door and to her mom's car. She knew that leaving to go and meet a dangerous vampire that would probably kill her and drink her blood was a bad idea… but then again… what other choice did she have?

She started up the car and pulled out of the driveway… praying that she would be able to see it again after tonight.

_*Half an hour later at the lakeside*_

The sun was just setting by the time that Kagome had arrived at Half-Moon Cove, and she had to admit… if she wasn't just about to meet a vampire and possibility get herself kill, she would've enjoyed the view.

The lake was in the shape of a crescent moon and was sparkling deep reds and oranges from the setting sun while the sand on the beach surrounding it was a silvery color… almost like moon dust.

The tall grasses that were normally a bright emerald green have now turned a golden color now that it was November; and there was a hint of snow in the air.

"Beautiful…" she said quietly. She turned off the car, and got out as she began to look around for Inuyasha. "You know," she muttered to herself as she began to walk over to the water's edge and wrapped her jacket closer around her to stay warm. "This place is huge. It could take hours to find him… if he's even here anyway."

She clenched her hands tightly and before she could stop herself, she cried out, "I'm here! I want answers! So come out and tell me what I want to know!"

And not surprising… no one answered her.

She took a deep breath, decided to take a walk around the lake, and hoped that everything was going to turn out ok.

_*Later*_

Kagome knew that her mother must've been getting worried. She had walked up and down the lake, but she still couldn't find a trace of Inuyasha anywhere.

The sun had set long ago and the sky was full of twinkling stars… Kagome sighed and began to wonder what she was going to do as she stared at the sparkling lights. She reached into her pocket to pull out the silver hairs, hoping that they would give her some clue to what to do.

Even in this darkness, Kagome could see them clearly, and she decided that she would wait until midnight. She rather face her mother's anger than a vampire's.

She sat down on the sand and watched the moon beginning to rise.

_*Nearing Midnight*_

Kagome's eyes were beginning to droop. She had been waiting for hours, Inuyasha hadn't shown up, and now she was falling asleep.

_'Well…'_ she thought to herself gloomily as she stood up and began to walk back to the car. _'I can't say that I didn't try.'_

She gave one last look at the half-moon shining in the sky before she reached the car door. She was about to unlock it when she felt a slight wind behind her… and to her horror… she felt two clawed hands on either side of her neck… and someone's breath ghost over past her ear.

"I-I-Inuyasha?" she croaked.

"Who else?" said that deep, rough voice that she heard just last night. "I'm impressed that you were able to figure it out. But really… was it you who found me? Or did I find you?"


	13. Blood Lust

**_Chapter Eleven: Blood Lust _**

Kagome opened her eyes the next morning feeling weak and tired as ever. She sighed as she rolled over onto her side to look at the sunlight coming through her window… at that moment…

"Kagome?" her mom called from the bottom of the stairs. "It's time to get up!"

"Ahhh," groaned Kagome as she forced her drained body to get out of bed. She didn't bother taking a shower as she got dressed and headed downstairs to have some breakfast. She hoped that some food would get her energy back faster.

"Kagome?" her mom said as she entered the kitchen. "You look terrible."

"Thanks a lot," Kagome said sarcastically as she sat at the table and grabbed some toast. Her mother only shook her head as she put some scrambled eggs on a plate for her.

"I warned you not to get in so late didn't I? Don't tell me that you've been up all night? What on earth could you've been doing at that lake that would've taken so long?" she asked.

"Nothing you would find interesting," Kagome mumbled as she began to dump some syrup onto her eggs. "What?" she asked as she saw her mother roll her eyes. "I like syrup with eggs!"

As she began to eat, she thought to herself, _'Besides… you wouldn't believe me if I DID tell you the truth of what happened last night.'_

_*Flashback*_

_"I-I-Inuyasha?" she croaked._

_"Who else?" said that deep, rough voice that she heard just last night. "I'm impressed that you were able to figure it out. But really… was it you who found me? Or did I find you?"_

_Kagome gulped. "Well," she said hoping that she sounded braver than she felt. "It's about time that you got here."_

_She heard him chuckle as his hands slowly removed themselves from her neck. She let out a sigh of relief as she took several steps away from the vampire and turned look at him. As she saw Inuyasha standing underneath the light of the half-moon, she felt a deep blush beginning to overtake her features again._

_Inuyasha smiled, revealing his sparkling white fangs. "To be honest…" he said in that voice that just seemed to send shivers up her spine. "I didn't think that you would ever figure out to come here."_

_Kagome felt her face grow hot, but this time from anger. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded. "Ok… look, I figured out the meeting place so… so you tell me what is going on! Are you really a… a…"_

_"Vampire?" Inuyasha offered helpfully._

_"Yes," she said dignity. "Are you really a vampire? Or is that some kind of sick, twisted joke?"_

_As quick as thought, Inuyasha had Kagome pinned to the side of the car, with his hands gripping her wrists. He bared his teeth, letting Kagome get a good look at them before leaning down until he was inches away from her face._

_"I wasn't lying," he breathed in her ear. "And this is no joke. I really am a vampire."_

_"Can you prove it?" Kagome asked, defiance starting to burn in her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes widened in shock at what she just said. Inuyasha leaned back, wanting to get a good look at her expression. _

_"B…but," Kagome stuttered, "Without the bite…"_

_He grinned, once again baring his fangs, and leaned down towards her again. Kagome stiffened when he stopped in front of her face, his fangs still uncovered._

_"Alright," he whispered. He let go of her wrists to brush a strand of raven hair away from her face. "Touch them. That should be enough to prove it to you," he said as he opened his mouth again._

_Kagome hesitantly reached up with a shaking hand, gently touching one of his fangs. She could feel the tooth… the hardness… the sleek surface… she knew that it was no fake. After pulling her finger back, Inuyasha closed his mouth and smiled again._

_"Now do you believe me?"_

_When Kagome nodded, he grinned and stood back, allowing her to move. _

_"Ok…" Kagome whispered. "So… you ARE the real deal." He smirked at that. "So, you mind telling me why you were in my room? Are you the reason I felt so sick lately? Are you the one that I kept seeing in my window? What are you doing? Are there other vampires out there? And why…"_

_Inuyasha put one of his long fingers over her lips to silence her. "You talk too much," he replied. _

_Kagome forced his hand away from her mouth so that she could speak, "But you said that if I found you, then you would answer my questions!"_

_"Yeah, well it's kinda hard when you keep asking without stopping," he answered._

_Kagome thought that one over for a second before saying grudgingly, "Good point. So how about we start with why were you in my room last night? Do you go there often? And if so… how come?"_

_Inuyasha sighed as he turned and began to walk towards the water's edge. At first, Kagome thought that he was leaving her behind… for some reason, this upset her…. but he just turned to look at her before gesturing for her to follow him._

_Kagome hesitated for a second, ignored her better instants and went following after him._

_*End of Flashback*_

_'Man… my life sucks,'_ Kagome thought as she put her empty plate into the sink.

"SOTA!" her mom called up, "If you don't get down right now then you'll be going to school without breakfast!"

"I can't find my soccer uniform!" he cried back followed by several crashing sounds suggesting that he might have knocked over something big and heavy.

"I put it in your closet!" mom called a little annoyed now.

"What? Is that some kind of sick joke?" he yelled.

Kagome shook her head as she grabbed her bag and headed out to wait by the car.

_*In the car*_

"Sota… that's why they invented closets. To put your clothes," their mom said as she stopped at a stop sign.

"That just seems like a waste of space isn't it?" Sota demanded who was busy stuffing the rest of his homework into his backpack.

"I don't know about you but I find them… hey I thought you told me that you finished your homework last night!"

"I did," Sota said defensive. "I have a test today… and I'm… not ready yet."

"In other words you didn't study!" mom said a little angry.

"Ok, this isn't what it looks like…"

Kagome smiled to herself as she leaned back in her seat to stare out the window. Everything seemed so… surreal after what happened last night.

_*Flashback*_

_Kagome followed Inuyasha to the water's edge and when he sat down, she joined him. "Just to be sure," she said as she sat beside him; so close that they were almost touching. "You aren't going to bite me are you?"_

_Inuyasha shook his head, "Not without your permission." Kagome let out a sigh of relief as she then waited for him to start explaining._

_Inuyasha was quiet for a little while as he stared out at the lake before he picked up a flat rock and threw it so hard that it skipped about 8 or 9 times across the water before landing on the other side._

_Kagome gulped, she knew that he was strong… just not THAT strong._

_He finally spoke, "The truth is… I have been over to your house most night's since Halloween."_

_Kagome's mouth dropped. "You've been in my room every night since Halloween?" she practically shrieked._

_"Yup," he replied as if it was nothing._

_"And… what were you doing?" she asked, afraid to know the truth._

_Inuyasha sighed as he turned his body to face her and said, "Feeding."_

_All the color drained from Kagome's face as her hands immediately flew to her neck. She had been wondering why her neck had been hurting lately… but she thought that it was because she was sleeping funny. But it was actually a vampire drinking her blood?_

_Inuyasha saw her reaction and put his hand on her shoulder, "Calm down. Look I know that you must be upset but I have been trying to stop drinking from you."_

_"Stop drinking from me?" Kagome screamed as panic took over. "For weeks, I've been feeling sick and drained, and it's because you've been taking blood?" She then began to look at her hands as if expecting them to transform in some way._

_"Please listen to me," Inuyasha pleaded. "And try not to say anything until I finish? I don't have much time here."_

_As Kagome opened her mouth to say something, Inuyasha put his hand over her mouth. "Listen," he repeated. "I'm going to tell you the truth… but you aren't going to say a word until I'm done ok? Or else you can forget it."_

_Kagome, not being about to talk, merely nodded._

_"Ok," he said removing his hand. "My name is Inuyasha… and yes I'm a vampire. I've been one for a long, long time now. And all vampire's need to feed… and we have to drink blood. But… we don't kill if we can help it. Just because you've been bitten by a vampire, doesn't mean that you're going to turn into one. We just take enough from a human so that they only feel a little weak and light-headed for a little while."_

_He sighed again as he laid back to look up at the night sky. "We just take a small bite and take a little bit of blood before we heal the bite wounds up and send them on their way. We usually do this at night when people are asleep so they think that they're only feeling drowsy when they wake up."_

_"So how come I've been so weak that I can't get out bed?" Kagome demanded, forgetting that she promised to stay quiet._

_Inuyasha turned his head to her and said, "Because your blood is… delicious. It's such a rare blood type… I couldn't help myself." He sat up to look at her in the eyes. "I met you on Halloween night remember?"_

_Kagome thought for a moment… before she remembered what he was talking about. "So it WAS you! You were the one who saved me from that jerk Bankotsu. Hey, thanks for that. If you didn't come by… I don't know what I would've done."_

_Inuyasha waved his hand away. "Oh I was just in the neighborhood, and I heard you both so I decided to lend a hand. But…"_

_"Wait," Kagome interrupted suddenly as she remembered more about that night. "I remember now… I thought that you looked so nervous about something… but I couldn't figure out why."_

_"Ah, yeah," he said in an upset voice. "I was trying to get you back to where some other people were so that I wouldn't be able to hurt you by accident. But I caught the scent of your blood… and I just sorta… lost it."_

_"And you bit me?" Kagome said through numb lips. "But I don't remember you biting me. I mean I remember you standing over me… and I think that I can remember something touching my neck but… I don't remember you actually biting me."_

_"Yeah well… it's a vampire thing. People don't remember being bitten by us. I swear I never meant to go after you… but after I tasted your blood…" his mouth began to water at the thought and Kagome actually had to scoot back away from him._

_"No," Inuyasha said taking her hand. "Please… I didn't mean to scare you. But you have to understand… this isn't something that I can help. I had to force myself to stop that night so that I didn't accidently kill you. After that I followed your ride home, making sure that you were going to be ok. I watched you go into the house and literally crawl up the stairs and into your room. But you just collapsed and…"_

_"WHAT?" Kagome screamed in horror. "You followed me home? And were spying on me?"_

_Inuyasha held up his hands defensively. "I only wanted to make sure that you were going to be ok. I felt so guilty about making you sick that I just wanted to make sure that you got to your bed so that you could sleep it all off."_

_Kagome took several deep breathes to calm down before she began to think about that day. She thought about how she woke up in bed with the door shut, and her covers on… and her hair ribbon gone._

_"That was you?" she asked softly. "You were the one who did all those little things? Like pulling my covers up and…"_

_Inuyasha nodded. "I just felt so bad for making you so sick that I guess I wanted to do something to make up for it. I just wanted to make you more comfortable and I left after that, I swear. I stayed away for as long as I could… tried to forget about you… but I couldn't say gone forever. In no time, I came back and took a little blood. I thought that maybe if I just took less and less blood from you, then I would soon be able to resist it. Accept…"_

_"It's harder than you thought it would be?" Kagome asked. She didn't know why she was feeling this way… shouldn't she be angry? Upset? Afraid? Horrified? But no… she felt sympathy… she felt sorry for this vampire. And judging by his story, he didn't really want to hurt her._

_"I'm sorry," she said. She sounded so sincere that his head snapped over to look at her. _

_"For what?" he asked amazed. "If there's anyone here who should be sorry, it should be me."_

_"I know," Kagome said softly. "I don't know why… but I just can't help but apologize. I don't know what for… I just want to… I want to help you."_

_*End of Flashback*_

"Kagome?" Sota asked from the back seat. "Aren't you getting out?"

"Huh?" Kagome said coming out of her daydream and finally noticing that she was outside her school's building. "Sorry, I didn't even notice."

"You noticing now?" Sota asked slyly.

"Shut up!" Kagome said to him. "At least I didn't spend the night watching TV and ignoring my homework."

"What?" mom yelled at Sota. "You mean to tell me that you DIDN'T do your homework either?"

And with that, Kagome quickly jumped out of the car and headed up the staircase for her first class.


	14. Smoke and Mirrors

**_Chapter Twelve: Smoke and Mirrors_**

Kagome sat in the lunchroom with her friends as she continued to think over what happened last night.

"Kagome?" Ayumi asked as she leaned over the side of the table to look at her. "You look tired. Let me guess… you've been up all night right?"

Kagome just shrugged, "I've had a lot on my mind lately." She then thought to herself, _'Like dealing with an incredibly handsome vampire who's obsessed to your blood.'_

"You mean Hojo?" asked Yuka wisely.

"Not exa… hey wait, Hojo?" Kagome said quickly. "What do you mean by Hojo?"

"Isn't why you've been so down lately?" Eri asked surprised. "Because you haven't been out on a date with Hojo yet?"

Kagome's mouth dropped open in horror. "NO!" she cried out so loudly that half the lunchroom went quiet and began to stare at her. (And anyone who's been in a high school lunchroom should know how loud it can be)

Great, not only was she tired and angry, but now she's embarrassed. She put her head down on the table and asked, "Why does my life have to be so complicated?"

"Kagome, if you didn't want to go out with Hojo, then why did you chose to be his girlfriend?" Yuka asked confused.

"I didn't!" Kagome almost shouted raising her head to look at her incredulity. "I never even answered him. Why do you think that I would…?"

"Because Hojo's been going around saying that you're his girlfriend now," Aymui said as if it was obvious. "In fact, it's starting to get really annoying."

Kagome slammed her head down on the table again, "I'm going to kill him."

Her friends just began to pat her on the back sympathetically.

Yuka then asked, "Kagome? Why do you hate Hojo so much?"

"I don't," Kagome answered. "I mean… Hojo's a great guy. He polite, sweet, kind, and I know that he would never mistreat a girl…"

"But?" Eri cut it.

"But he's not my type. I mean… his grades are amazing but, come on. How can someone so smart be so dense?"

"Well," Eri said in an agreeing tone. "I admit that he's not the brightest crayon in the box but he's cute."

"Not handsome though," added Yuka.

"Yeah, and he's got no common sense," Ayumi said.

As her friends argued, Kagome began to daydream. Why wouldn't Hojo leave her alone? Sure he's charming and kind, but she just wasn't attracted to him other than as a friend. She wanted to just stay friends with him and that's all. Why couldn't he see that?

_'Wonder what Inuyasha's signal is,'_ she thought.

_*Flashback*_

_"I'm sorry," she said. She sounded so sincere that his head snapped over to look at her. _

_"For what?" he asked amazed. "If there's anyone here who should be sorry, it should be me."_

_"I know," Kagome said softly. "I don't know why… but I just can't help but apologize. I don't know what for… I just want to… I want to help you."_

_"You can't help me. I told you before, I've been a vampire for a long time. We just keep going…"_

_"We?" Kagome repeated. "So there ARE more of you? How many? Where do you all live? What are you all doing here? How long have you've been vampires? How come…"_

_"Man, you ask as much questions as Rin does," Inuyasha said shaking his head._

_"Rin?" Kagome echoed. "Who's Rin? Is she a vampire?"_

_"Yeah, I guess you can say that she was going to be my brother's wife but…"_

_"Your brother? You've got a brother?"_

_"Is there an echo here?" Inuyasha said annoyed. "Look, it's not my place to say here. But we'll talk again tomorrow ok?"_

_"Why not tonight?" Kagome demanded getting angry at him avoiding her questions._

_"'Cause you look like you're about to pass out from lack of sleep," Inuyasha said. And sure enough, Kagome's eyelids began to droop. _

_"No I'm not," she said as she began to sway all of a sudden. Luckily, Inuyasha steadied her before leading her back to the car. _

_"I'll take you home. And I promise that we'll talk tomorrow. Just wait for my signal," he said._

_"What signal?" she demanded._

_Inuyasha just grinned. "You'll know it when you see it."_

_*End of Flashback*_

"Kagome? Kagome? Hey Kagome, are you paying attention?" Ayumi asked as she shook Kagome's shoulder to bring her out of her daydream.

"Hmm?" Kagome said as she shook herself back to the present. "What is it now?"

"Kagome, didn't you just notice that the lights dimmed for a minute?" Eri asked surprised as she looked up at the ceiling at the lights.

"The lights dimmed?" Kagome asked with a slight smile. "Well in that case, no need to panic, it was probably just another execution in Texas."

Her friends gave her a quick smile before the lights began to flicker on and off. Kagome and the girls all stood up and looked around them in concern.

"What in the world…" Eri began before she was interrupted by the sound of breaking windows and the room began to fill with a strange mist-like smoke. As the students began to scream and run around in a panic, Kagome felt a pair of hands gently touching the sides of her neck.

"Hey Kagome?" whispered an deep voice that Kagome knew even though she only heard it several times.

"Inu-Inuyasha?" Kagome croaked.

"Yours truly," Inuyasha whispered. "Ready to go?"


	15. Break From Normal

**_Chapter Thirteen: Break From Normal_**

"So let me get this straight," said her mother as Kagome was sitting at the table, covered with mud and had bits of leaves and twig in her hair. "After the electrical fire at school, you ran outside and decided to skip the rest of the day? That doesn't sound like you Kagome."

Yes, after the lights had gone out and the smoke that had filled up the cafeteria, the whole incident was blamed on an electrical fire. However, no one seemed to take into account that there wasn't any trace of a fire or that the fire alarm never went off. Kagome was the only one who knew what, or rather who, had caused the smoke screen.

Kagome nodded to her mother. "I'm sorry mom," she said serenely. "But after I finally got outside, I guess that I just assumed that school was out for the day and…"

"You just had to skip," her mother said shaking her head. "But you had a good reason for skipping so I can understand. But why do you look like you had spent several days sleeping in the forest?"

"I decided to do some more research on Half-Moon Cove," Kagome said almost mechanically. "So I headed over there by bus and I was taking notes when…"

"When you tripped and fell?" her mom finished.

Kagome put her arms up defensively, "I said 'I'm sorry!' It won't happen again!"

"Ok, Kagome," her mom said as she stood up from the table. "I'm not mad. It's just that this isn't like you. And that fire thing at school… you know something? Some of the firefighters were swearing that it wasn't a fire at all! That someone had started it. Ha! Who would do something like that? Think maybe it was a student wanting to get out of a test or something?"

Kagome smiled. "Wouldn't surprise me. Or maybe it was… oh I don't know… someone trying to get a friend out of class and give them a break from a normal life?"

As her mother laughed, Kagome thought back to that afternoon.

_*Flashback*_

_"Inu-Inuyasha?" Kagome croaked. _

_"Yours truly," Inuyasha whispered. "Ready to go?" _

_And without waiting for an answer he put his arms around her as the smoke gave them the perfect covering. Immediately, Kagome felt her knees go weak and would've fallen if the vampire didn't pick her up into its arms, bridal style._

_Kagome shrieked and instantly wrapped her arms around Inuyasha's neck for balance. As he held her closer to his chest, Kagome felt her heart pound, and she wasn't sure if it was just because she was scared... or something else._

_All of a sudden, Inuyasha began to run at an inhuman pace to who-knows-where. "Inuyasha?" Kagome yelled as the wind continued to whistle pass her and everything was a giant blur, it was actually not that bad. It was refreshing, actually, "Where are we going?"_

_"You'll see," Inuyasha said calmly back._

_In no time at all they were clear of the smoke and were outside. Kagome was able to get a better look at Inuyasha's face for the first time. His slightly tan face, a broad jaw with the hint of a smirk, gold eyes shining with amusement… she had never seen someone as handsome as him…_

_"Is there something you find interesting with my face?" he asked her._

_Kagome blinked several times before saying, "I always thought that vampires were pale-white and icy cold."_

_Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Humans… always exaggerating things."_

_"So you can come out in the day?" Kagome asked as she looked around at the gloomy, clouded sky._

_"Only on days like today," he said. "But we can talk more later."_

_"But…" Kagome began before she was interrupted. _

_"Ready, Kagome?" Inuyasha walked back three giant steps and firmly held her tightly._

_"Ready for what," she said almost inaudibly as she buried her face into Inuyasha's shoulder scared of what was about to happen._

_"Just hold on tight. I'm going to leap for the building right in front of us," Inuyasha started to run towards the street. Kagome held on even tighter._

_Without another word, he took off and began to run like the wind. Kagome kept her arms wrapped around his neck in case he slipped up and dropped her, but could she honestly say that she hated this? _

_She turned her head so that she could see the world rushing by almost like she was in a tunnel. Being this close, Kagome could smell the vampire scent. She couldn't quite describe it, but it smelled like the darkness. Like the time when you come out at a clear night and smell the fresh air, seeing the moon and stars above. It was comforting and Kagome held on close._

_'I can't believe this is happening,' she thought to herself._

_Inuyasha sprinted off the building and was soon in midair. In the next second, Inuyasha landed with ease on the rooftop. "You okay so far?" he asked. The shaken teen nodded._

_"Y-yeah, just keep going," Kagome stammered slightly, that is until a thought came back to her. "Where we going?"_

_"Just around the city," he answered._

_*End of flashback*_

"Kagome," her mother said shaking her head. "Well, as long as you didn't do anything that would get you into trouble everything else is fine. I trust you. Now how about you go up and clean yourself up?"

Kagome nodded gratefully. The number one thing that she loved about her mother was that she never could stay angry for long… she tried but she just didn't have it in her.

Kagome walked up to the bathroom, feeling ridiculously slow after riding around with Inuyasha. The truth was, she spent most of the day on Inuyasha's back as he shown her the city. And they also spent most of that time asking each other questions…

_*Flashback*_

_"Inuyasha?" she cried out over the roar of the wind, "Why are you taking me for a ride?"_

_Inuyasha gave her a thoughtful look before answering, "Dunno. I guess I thought that you needed a break from a normal life."_

_"A break? Please, my life has been nothing but supernatural since I met you," Kagome called back. "Speaking of which, I thought that vampires burn up and turn to dust when they went out in daylight. I mean… aren't you going to get hurt by the light?"_

_Inuyasha laughed as he landed lightly and started running across the top of a bridge. "Please… like I said, humans are always exaggerating things. The light can hurt me a little bit. But, it can't destroy me." _

_"It hurts you?" Kagome repeated starting to panic, worried about Inuyasha's wellbeing. "Then you shouldn't be out here! And besides, what if anyone sees us? What do we do when…"_

_"Kagome? Haven't you noticed how fast we're going?" he asked as if she was dumb. "We're going too fast for the human eye to see. And its cloudy… I don't need to worry. But if it really worries you…"_

_Inuyasha leapt off the bridge, Kagome holding onto him tighter than ever, landed on the ground and started running towards where a forest preserved was. They didn't speak again until they were under the cover of the trees, "The light is annoying, and it does sting, but it won't actually kill me. Only the sun and any lights that shine directly on my whole body hurt."_

_"Oh," Kagome said quietly, "Any light?"_

_"Yes. Well except moonlight and black lights," Inuyasha answered, "They won't do anything to me."_

_Kagome looked forward, her eyes clouding over with thought. So light would only hurt Inuyasha, not kill him, but how much could he take? Inuyasha's voice broke through her thoughts._

_"For some reason, light will only weakened me, but not destroyed me. I won't just about to burst into flames like every human thinks. Being hit by light just doesn't work like that."_

_"That must suck," Kagome said. She looked up at him as he looked down at her, and they both started laughing._

_"Hey," he muttered as he started to pick up speed. "You want to see how fast I can really go?"_

_Kagome thought about that for a moment before a wicked grin fell over her face and she held onto his shoulders. "You're gonna show me even if I said no."_

_"Damn right," he said and they were suddenly merging with the wind._

_*End of Flashback*_

_'Just a few minutes alone. That's all I want,'_ she thought

Kagome picked out PJ's and headed off to the bathroom. She filled the tub with water and got in, while throwing her dirty clothes into a basket at the door. The water was warm and soothing so the stiff muscles in her body slowly relaxed, taking away the hurt and stiff feeling there. She sighed contently as she began to wash her hair.

After her bath, she walked into her room and sighed deeply. Kagome shut her door and leaned against it. Closing her eyes, the teen slid down the door and sat on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. She slowly shook her head as a long, drawn out breath was released from her mouth. All she wanted was a few minutes to herself and think about what she was going to do. I mean, she had a vampire for a friend and that meant that this could only end in trouble.

Or was this actually the beginning of something wonderful? Could this be fate drawing her and Inuyasha together? Would she be doomed to wonder this world knowing that she and Inuyasha were in two completely different worlds? And yet would they still try to make it work?

Maybe mom was right and she was reading too many vampire/romance books.

She suddenly realized that she was shivering. Reluctantly, Kagome lifted her head from her comfortable position to see the window had been opened.

_'Did… did I open that?'_ Kagome thought tiredly.

The teen stood up and crossed the room to her window, located next to her desk. The breeze blew in again. She shivered as the cool air once again penetrated the warm air of her room, making goosebumps on her arms and freezing her, still wet, hair.

Kagome looked up, intending to close the open window. She never got around to it, because a pair of eyes was staring back at her.

And it wasn't her reflection.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha said smiling. "Nice night?"

Kagome blinked several times before she smiled back. "What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to treat a guest?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said, half fondly, half warningly.

The smile faded from Inuyasha face as his grip tightened on the windowsill. "Ah, Kagome?" he said slowly. "I have a favor to ask you."

Kagome gave him a confused look before asking, "What is it?

Inuyasha seemed to be struggling with the words, "I-I well I…"

"Come on Inuyasha, out with it," Kagome said getting a little irritated.

Inuyasha gave her a sad look before he took a deep breath and asked, "Can I… can I taste your blood?"

** (Sorry for taking so long. but my writers block is a cursed thing and i couldn't think of anything good.) Review Please!**


	16. Love Bites

**_Chapter Fourteen: Love Bites_**

_*Kagome's POV*_

Why did she do that? Was she crazy? She couldn't believe what happened! It was early in the morning as Kagome slowly sat up on her bed, rubbing her sore neck.

She shut her eyes and her thoughts went back to last night.

_*Flashback*_

_"Let me see if I got it straight…" Kagome said quietly. "You're asking if you can drink some of my blood?"_

_Inuyasha put his head down in shame. "I know—but I can't help it. If you really don't—then I promise to leave now." _

_He turned to jump down, but Kagome grabbed hold of his hair to prevent him leaving._

_"HEY!" he yelped as he was pulled back into the room. "My hair's attached you know?"_

_"Just because I don't want you to suck my blood doesn't mean that I want you to leave. Besides," she muttered looking up at the dark clouds, "The TV said that it was going to rain tonight. I don't want you to catch cold. You could stay… at least until it's over?"_

_"Keh," Inuyasha said in a pompous voice as he sat back on the windowsill. "Wouldn't matter. I can't get sick."_

_"Ever?" Kagome asked curious._

_"Nope." He leaned back against the wall, getting comfortable. "But if you want me here so much… I guess I could stick around a little longer."_

_Just as he said that… lighting flashed in the sky, illuminating the darkness and making the raindrops look like small amounts of liquid light. He gave her a slight grin as he waited for her to get back into bed. "You—ah—afraid of storms?" he asked._

_"NO!" Kagome almost yelled. But when she saw him raise his eyebrows. "Maybe a little…" she confessed. When he continued to look skeptical, she admitted, "Ok, ok… sometimes I'm a little afraid of thunder. I know… it's lame."_

_When he grinned, she rolled her eyes as she got into bed. "Look, I'm going to sleep ok? Can you at least stay until the rain stops? Please?" she hated to sound like she was begging. But she didn't think she could get a wink of sleep tonight with everything that's been happening lately._

_Inuyasha merely shrugged, trying not to laugh. Kagome, rather childishly, stuck her tongue out at him before she finally lay down. But before she went to sleep, Inuyasha asked, "What makes you think that I can be trusted?"_

_Kagome looked at him in surprise before she said, "Because… if you were going to hurt me… you would've done it by now. I don't know why but… I feel like I can trust you."_

_Inuyasha stared at her in amazement before she smiled again, "Night."_

_She was asleep as her head hit the pillow._

_*End of Flashback*_

It was morning when she woke up and sunlight was streaming through the windows. Wait a minute! Morning? Sunlight? Oh no, Inuyasha!

She shot up into a sitting position in her bed so fast she thought that she almost fell off her bed and onto the floor.

Her head swam a little from sitting up so fast, so she had to wait a minute to get her bearings. However, when she looked around her room, everything seemed the same as it had last night, except that Inuyasha wasn't there.

She sighed in relief that Inuyasha hadn't been caught in the bright shining sunlight. But then a great sorrow took a hold of her. Inuyasha must have gone back to his home as soon as the rain had stopped. He had left her as soon as he could. And after he promised her that he wouldn't leave.

_*Flashback*_

_"I don't blame you. It is not your fault for what happen," he said, watching her with his miniature golden suns for eyes. _

_"But I-" _

_"No. It isn't your fault," he repeated, he then laid back, so that he fell onto his back, at the foot of her, his arms behind his head, signaling that he didn't want to talk about this anymore. _

_"What are you doing tomorrow, Kagome?" he suddenly asked as if desperate for a change of subject. Kagome guessed when he said it wasn't her fault, he really, really meant it. _

_She groaned, "Tomorrow I have to go to school." _

_"Oh," was Inuyasha's reply. "Then I think you should go to sleep." _

_She nodded. _

_"Don't worry, I'll watch over you," Inuyasha said with a hint of a smile. _

_"Thank you, Inuyasha." she said._

_*End of Flashback*_

She felt tears welled up in her eyes, but she forced them down. She was not going to cry, not this time. So what if he was gone? She could make it through the day without him.

She got out of bed and walked down to the kitchen, were her mother was setting plates full of homemade waffles in front of them.

"So Kagome, did you sleep well?" she asked her while getting the syrup out of the cupboard.

"Mm-Hm," Kagome answered tiredly, reaching for a glass. She really didn't feel like talking right now.

She got a glass of juice and sat down at the table, in which her mom and Sota sat down across from her. "Are you alright, Kagome?" Sota asked. "You seem kind of distracted this morning."

She looked up at him. She could always tell her family anything. But, should she tell them about last night, about Inuyasha? About a vampire in her room? Nah.

She shook her head. "No guys, everything's fine. I'm ok." What happened between Inuyasha and her was way too personal.

Her mom just nodded and her brother said, "You sure you're alright? You look completely out of it."

I nodded. "Sure. I'm ok." Yeah, she would be fine now that the dark, mysterious, and beautiful Inuyasha was gone, and if she never left the house ever again. Wait… beautiful? Why the hell was she acting like some kind love-sick school girl? Just because she…

"Good," mom said. "I'm going to be going to pick up grandpa at noon, so you won't see me when you get home. Alright?"

"Alright." She and Sota answered, nodding, before getting up and going off to their room to get ready for the day.

_*Upstairs*_

She pulled out her favorite white blouse and green skirt from her dresser and put it on. She had then gone over to her closet, and slid back the moving door when she heard it. She was only going to reach in and get her coat, but what met her was not only her coat.

"Close the door!" Inuyasha hissed.

Inuyasha was sitting on her closet floor, holding his arms up to shield himself, and trying to move backwards to get out of the light.

She slammed the door closed, her eyes wide open. What was he doing in there? She thought he left!

She slipped down to the floor, placed her hands on the door and pressed her ear up to it so she could hear what was going on inside. The sound of heavy breathing met her ears.

"Inuyasha, are you okay?" she asked, concerned. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Yes, I'm okay Kagome," Inuyasha answered. His breathing was quieting and going back to normal. "And no, you didn't hurt me, just caught me off guard."

She sighed in relief and when a few moments passed she asked. "Inuyasha?"

"Yes, Kagome?"

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

She heard Inuyasha sigh lightly and the door opened slightly, making her back up. She went and was looking through the crack Inuyasha had made, when Inuyasha's hand emerged and signaled for her to come in. He then quickly pulled his hand back.

She was hesitant to go in, but it would be a little hard to talk through the door. So she got on her hands and knees, crawled in, and sat down before the door closed and was plunged into total darkness.

Everything was deathly silent. She couldn't see or hear anything from outside. She couldn't even hear or see Inuyasha, and he was right in front of her. Wasn't he?

She didn't know where he was. That is, until she felt his hand on her shoulder, in which he put a little pressure and pushed her so that my back touched the wall.

"No, Kagome," he purred. "I'm not mad at you." She could feel his breath on her lips, and she knew he was really close. A tremor went through her, and she was thinking that maybe Inuyasha enjoyed it.

_*Inuyasha's POV*_

Inuyasha sat in the pitch blackness of Kagome's closet and growled to himself. If any of the other vampires found out about this, there would be no way for him to be able to live it down.

But, really, what did it matter? So what if the others thought it was humorous? They probably wouldn't live by the time the next full moon came around anyway, he would see to that. He smiled to himself at the thought.

He leaned his back up against the wall and listened to Kagome moving around her room. He listened as she left, went downstairs, and talked to her family. As she talked to them, he thought about what happened last night.

_*Flashback*_

_He sat on the windowsill of Kagome's room, watching the rain fall against the house and slip down the windowpane. Kagome was sound asleep in her bed, breathing deeply. _

_He sighed, looking at his reflection on the glass, streaked by rain. (I know that vampires don't have reflections but in my story, they do.) He looked at Kagome's sleeping form before he began to wonder if he could actually get away with taking some blood._

_Inuyasha shook his head; he wanted to drink now but he refused to hurt her. The last person that he wanted to hurt was Kagome. But he couldn't deny that every time that he was close to her, something bubbled up inside him, something other than his instincts to drink. This new feeling was strong, and it made him feel really good. _

_'Just go,' his instincts seem to say. 'Just one sip of her blood. She'll never know. Do it now.' _

_He shook his head again and covered his ears with his hands as if he could block out the urges. And suddenly, he kind of lost it. His instincts seemed to take control for the moment. _

_He got off the sill and walked over and onto the end of the bed. Kagome was still asleep, but she had rolled onto her back. She was in perfect position. _

_He edged up and leaned over Kagome so that his body was parallel to her. _

_"Kagome?" he whispered gently into her ear. The girl stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Sleep clouded her vision, but she could still tell it who it was who woke her. _

_"Hi, Inuyasha." Kagome breathed, smiling lightly. "What time is it?" _

_"Shhh," he said, reaching up to stroke Kagome's hair. "I'll tell you later. Ok?" _

_His fingers gently flowed though the midnight black strands of Kagome's hair. It was surprisingly soft and cool to the touch. So he enjoyed it as he wrapped a tendril of the young one's hair around his index finger, taking extra care not to pull or cause any pain to Kagome. _

_After he was finished he gently released Kagome's hair, before looking down and catching her in his gaze. Kagome stared back at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open, as if she didn't know what to say or how to act in this situation. _

_"Y-Inuyasha. I-I… wh-what are y-y-you doing?" she stuttered. He smiled at her failing attempts to speak. Kagome saw him smile and blinked, fear coming into her soft eyes. She was getting worried about what he could end up doing to her… that he was going to go back on his word. _

_He had to erase Kagome's fear before he went on, or she would never let him get close to her again. So, he reached up and gently pushed some of the soft hair out of Kagome's brown eyes. _

_"Kagome," he said, whispering as if they were on her sickbed. "I promised you that I wouldn't hurt you. Remember?" _

_He then leaned down, very slowly. He didn't want to go to fast, for the fear of scaring her. _

_Kagome nodded slightly and then she froze, seeing how close he was to her; their lips almost brushing each other. "Just wanted you to know," he said, his breath fanning her lips. "I always keep my promises." _

_He heard Kagome gasp and when she didn't breath out he knew that she was holding her breath. He watched her for a moment, she was just lying underneath him, eyes wide, breath caught in her chest, not willing to just let go. _

_He lowered his head the faction of the inch that separated their faces and gently brushed his lips against hers, letting her shock fire up and then slowly die, while her held breath slowly left her. _

_After everything she held inside disappeared, every fiber in her body relaxed, and he lay softly on the bed. He gently pried Kagome's mouth open, which deepen the kiss they shared. She tasted warm, sweet, and pure, just what he had thought she'd be. _

_A small moan came up though Kagome's throat, and he knew that she was enjoying the feeling he was giving her. Anyone would. But then again, he was kissing her like this for her and her pleasure, not for someone else. He had never done this to anyone else, expect for one other. _

_He reached up to touch her neck… without breaking the kiss, he reach out and gently touch Kagome's skin. It felt like he had just touched silk. Kagome's skin was warm, smooth, and soft, and he felt like Kagome was the most prefect creature that ever walked on this earth. _

_He could hear a soft heartbeat thrumming in Kagome's chest, something that he didn't have. But he wished that he did. _

_But suddenly, Kagome breathed in quickly though her nose, and he knew something was wrong. He pulled his hands away from her, slightly upset that he had to pull away, but he was more concern about Kagome and what had upset her. _

_Kagome quickly broke their kiss and wrapped her fingers around her throat. What? What had happened? She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a fear more powerful then he had ever seen in her. She mutely shook her head back and forth, trying to tell him what was going on without saying anything to him. _

_"Please Inuyasha, don't. I don't want this," she pleaded to him, her eyes fixed on his. What was she talking about? And then it hit him. He should have known. How could he have been such an idiot? He shouldn't have gone so fast. _

_He jumped off of the bed backwards and landed on the floor. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he said sadly. He then turned around, kicked the floor with his foot, and muttered to himself about what a complete idiot he was. _

_He sat back on the windowsill, keeping his eyes away from Kagome. He didn't want to see how much he had hurt her. _

_But behind him, he could feel Kagome staring at him, and he knew that he had to say something to her. To explain himself. _

_"I won't do anything you don't want me to do, Kagome. I will stop, if you want me too." At this he turned his head and looked at Kagome. She no longer had any fear in her eyes but was just watching him, trying to figure something out. _

_Then he heard her tiny voice come out though the darkness. "I'm sorry," she said. _

_*End of Flashback*_

He was so lost in thought that he didn't realize that Kagome had come back into the room, or that she had opened her closet door until the light came in, and burned him.

"Close the door!" Inuyasha hissed trying to retreat into the darker side of the closet holding up his arms up to try to shield himself.

Kagome slammed the door closed. Once the darkness returned, the pain stopped and he began to take in deep calming breathes. He put his hear against the door so that he could hear what Kagome was doing. He could hear the sound of a body slowly slide to the floor, her hands on the door as if she was trying to listen to him. "Inuyasha, are you okay?" she asked, in a concerned voice. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Yes, I'm okay Kagome," Inuyasha answered. His breathing was quieting and going back to normal. "And no, you didn't hurt me, just caught me off guard."

He heard her let out a sigh of relief and when a few moments passed she asked. "Inuyasha?"

"Yes, Kagome?"

"You're not mad at me, are you?"

Why the hell would he be angry at her? Inuyasha sighed lightly and opened the door slightly, to invite her in. He then quickly pulled his hand back to prevent himself being in direct light.

He knew that she was hesitant to go in, but after a few moments, she got on her hands and knees, crawled in, and sat down before Inuyasha the door closed and they were plunged into total darkness.

Going as slowly as he could, he put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a little pressure to push her gently back so that her back touched the wall.

"No Kagome," he purred to her. "I'm not mad at you." He moved his face close to hers, and he felt a tremor go through her. He grinned in the darkness

But he wasn't going to do anything that she didn't want him to do. Not after what she said last night.

_*Flashback*_

_He blinked. "What?" he asked. Was Kagome apologizing? To him? Why? He was the one who could've really hurt her. He was the one being stupid. So why was she saying that she was sorry? _

_"I'm sorry." Kagome said again. _

_"Oh, Kagome," he said, sadly shaking his head while watching her with concerned eyes. "Don't be sorry. It's my fault." _

_"No, it's not." Kagome said, climbing out of her bed and walking over to him. "It's not your fault. I read about how when vampires find someone they're fond off—they can't help but go after their blood." _

_He opened his mouth to argue, but Kagome cut him off. "Don't deny it. I can tell that you're fighting with yourself. And it's all because of me." _

_And at that moment, he knew that he had to do something, no matter what the risk. _

_He hopped down from the sill and picked Kagome up, getting her to lie on her back in his arms. He then carried her over to her bed and gently laid her down. _

_Her eyes were open only a little bit, but by the way she was acting, she wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon. He looked deep into her eyes and sighed as he placed two fingers over Kagome's soft lips to quite her. "Shhhh," he said. He then looked right at her, to tell her that he was getting serious. "I'm not going to hurt you, Kagome." _

_Kagome sighed and closed her eyes for a minute. _

_He sat with her until he was sure that Kagome was asleep. He guessed the part of his words and sheer exhaustion had tried her out. He gently ran his hand though her hair before going back and sitting on the windowsill again. Where he could watching the still falling rain. _

_*End of Flashback*_

No. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her. He would let her make the first move.

_*Kagome's POV*_

What the hell was she doing? Why was she sitting in the closet with a vampire who had the gall to go and steal her first kiss like that? Why didn't she just turn and leave when she shut the door? But no matter how hard she tried… she couldn't seem to go.

But he could end up breaking her though as she tried to reason with herself. He could kill her easily… but then why didn't he do it already? And why did he stop when she asked him to stop?

_*Flashback*_

_She knew that Inuyasha thought that she was asleep, but she wasn't. She had only pretended to fall asleep so he wouldn't worry about her. She didn't like it when people worried about her. She found it really annoying._

_Since Inuyasha had return to the sill she laid on her back, eyes closed but not very tried. She had too much to think about right now, to even think of sleeping. _

_A million questions lay unanswered in her mind, all too hard to answer on her own. But some of them she had to answer, because they were too personal to tell anyone else. _

_So she started on the first one. The terrible feeling that had started to haunt her. She had pushed Inuyasha away because she was scared. She wasn't afraid of him, but because she didn't know what he might have done to her._

_She had been reading up on vampires at school yesterday—before Inuyasha's smoke screen busted her out—and she found something posted up on a Wikipedia._

_She remembered what it had said about vampires longing for a heart. _

**Vampires have great need for blood, but an even greater need for the hearts of humans. Many Vampires will target one person that is innocence and is pure of heart, and soul: usually young maidens, before going after and tearing out their hearts. **

**Professor Myoga, Vampire specialist **

_She had shaken with fear after she had read that part. But she had pushed it aside, thinking that out of all the people in the world, no way he'd pick her. But it looks like she was dead wrong. _

_When she felt his cool, gentle hand touch her skin very softly, it felt really good. But she knew that she could've been in danger of being… of having her… oh- she couldn't even say it. She could never, and will never say it. Really, she can't even think it. It's too scary. But, she knew that she was in danger. _

_That's why she had pushed him away. But after she did, she felt bad for him. She had stopped him from doing what he had no control over. If not tearing out her heart… then from drinking her blood._

_And it kind of scares her, but… she kind of, wanted him to keep kissing her. But she had pushed him away, and he'd probably never forgive her. _

_But the worst part about it was that he blamed himself, and she knew that it wasn't his fault. And that just made the pain worse, because she knew it was her fault. _

_She turned over, facing away from Inuyasha, and buried her head into her pillow. The only thing that she could hope for would be that things would work out soon, and that when she woke up tomorrow, Inuyasha would still be here. _

_"Kagome," she heard Inuyasha say. She guessed that he knew that she wasn't really asleep. She turned over and saw him sitting on the edge of her bed. _

_"I don't blame you. It is not your fault for what happen," he said, watching her with his miniature golden suns for eyes. _

_"But I-" _

_"No. It isn't your fault," he repeated, he then laid back, so that he fell onto his back, at the foot of her bed, his arms behind his head, signaling that he didn't want to talk about this anymore. _

_"What are you doing tomorrow, Kagome?" he suddenly asked as if desperate for a change of subject. Kagome guessed when he said it wasn't her fault, he really, really meant it. _

_She groaned, "Tomorrow I have to go to school." _

_"Oh," was Inuyasha's reply. "Then I think you should go to sleep." _

_She nodded. _

_"Don't worry, I'll watch over you." Inuyasha said with a hint of a smile. _

_"Thank you, Inuyasha," she said, turning over. She dug her head into her pillow so Inuyasha couldn't see her smile. _

_*End of Flashback*_

He had stayed with her when he didn't have to. Why? That's when she realized something. Last night, Inuyasha had gone pretty far with her, and who knows what could happen later on? How far would Inuyasha go if he couldn't control himself?

She didn't have very long to think about it because she felt Inuyasha's lips gently touch hers and his tongue slip inside her mouth. She was surprised at first, but then melted at his touch and purred into his mouth. Inuyasha was going to go as far as he could with her without hurting her.

But was she ready? No, of course not. she don't think she'd ever be ready. But, then again, maybe she was.

But even if she was, would she let Inuyasha get that close? There was only one way to find out.

He gently broke the kiss he had on her. She could see him a little now that he was so close, and then he pulled away so that he could see her face. He then looked right at her, right into her very soul and asked her six little words.

"Do you want me to stop?"

She opened her mouth and was surprised at the answer that came out. "No," she replied softly.

At her answer, Inuyasha smiled and she felt him gently caress her neck and collarbone before kissing her again. But this time he didn't push his tongue into her, he waited. He was going to let her slip her tongue into his mouth, let her taste him.

She wasn't sure about how you were supposed to kiss someone. In fact, she had never been kissed until when Inuyasha did it. So she just had to wing it.

She pushed her tongue up into his mouth. He tasted cool, and dark. But there was something else too, there was a metallic taste in him, in his very soul, and she knew what it was. Blood.

She felt Inuyasha grasp her hand and hold it in his own strong one as the kiss continued. It went on until she heard her mother yelling at her to come downstairs so that they could go. Very unwilling, they broke their kiss.

"Will you still be here when I get back?" she asked.

"Maybe," he answered. "If it gets cloudy later I have to leave at least for a little while. I'm sure that the others are wondering where the heck I am. But I promise that that I'll see you again very soon. So don't be hurt if I'm not here."

She nodded. She sighed as he drew back from her so that she could open the closet door and get out. The bright light blinded her for a moment before she shut the door and left.

Every girl dreams of sharing a romantic kiss… maybe under the full moon on the beach or in a fancy restaurant just before they have dessert…

… but she was sure that in a closet underneath with a rack of clothes and coats hanging above them wasn't one of those fantasies.

And yet… she wouldn't have traded it for any beach or restaurant scene.

**Reivew PLEASE!**


	17. Dream Vampire

**_Chapter fifteen: Dream Vampire_**

Kagome was at school now, in history actually, and the teacher was droning on about who knows what. Not that she was really paying a lot of attention.

Right at that moment she was thinking about Inuyasha. The taste of blood in him was scary, but that was the only bad thing she could find about him, except that he was a vampire that is. But even that could be as much as a good thing as it was bad. It all depended on how you looked at it.

And, she suppose, her friends must've thought that something was up because the next thing she knew was that there was a small folded up note on her desk. She looked around at her friends and they nodded towards the paper, urging her to read it now. Making sure that the teacher wasn't looking, she opened it up and read:

_Kagome,_

_Meet us in the hall after history. We need to talk._

_Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi_

_'Oh, no,'_ she thought worriedly. Wondering what on earth they wanted to talk about she back at her friends and nodded. What was she going to tell them?

_'Yeah, guys. I just thought that you wanted to know that there is this incredibly hot vampire staying in my closet and I kissed him. How's that chemistry homework going?'_

Yeah, they'll buy that.

After history class, she was thinking about just acting like she never got the note. But she knew that she couldn't do that to her friends. She might not always agree with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi; and they may not like her idea of a boyfriend… she blushed at the thought. But they were still her friends and she just couldn't run off on them.

So she went to her locker like she always did right after class, opened it, and that's when her friends suddenly appeared.

"Hey, Kagome," Eri greeted.

"Hi guys," she answered a little too quickly before sticking her head back into her locker, praying that her friends wouldn't see how nervous she was getting.

Ayumi took a step toward her. "Um, Kagome listen we…uh…" Kagome thought that she seemed really uncomfortable asking the question.

"We want to know what's going on with you lately?" she finished lamely.

Her fingers tightened around her locker door and frame. She couldn't lie to them. Really, she couldn't. Even when she lied to her family, she wasn't really lying, because she worked hard to make it the truth. So in the end, it wasn't really a lie. Was it?

She took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and placed my hands at her side. "You really want to know what's going on?" she asked.

"Yes." All three of her friends chorused. "Please Kagome," Ayumi added. "We want to know if you're okay."

She opened my eyes and looked at them. "Well… the truth is… I think I'm in love." she said plainly, before looking back into the metal box that was my locker.

"WHAT?" Eri asked, disbelief in her voice.

"You're in LOVE?" Yuka asked. Kagome shrugged, "It just might be a crush… but… I just don't know anymore."

"Oh, that explains everything!" Ayumi cried. "We were wondering why were where sighing so much lately, and why you seem so distant. Come on Kags, can you tell us who?"

"Ah… I don't know where to begin," Kagome answered truthfully. "I'm not sure if I can tell you."

"What?" The girls all cried. "What do you mean you can't tell us?" Yuka demanded. "You don't trust us anymore? We've known each other since kindergarten! And now you say that you can't trust us?" She then whispered something in Eri's ear with wide eyes. She jumped back like she had been hit by lightening. Eri then whispered something to Ayumi and they all stared at her.

"It isn't Hojo is it?" Eri asked, her eyes locked on Kagome's. "I thought that you said…" But Kagome cut her off.

"NO!" she screamed, fear, sadness, and anger evident in her voice. "It's not Hojo! I told you guys plenty of times before that I think that he's sweet and a really nice guy. I know that any girl would be lucky to have him—but he's just not my type. So don't even think that it's him." Kagome slammed her locker door closed.

"Easy, calm down Kagome." Eri said. "We believe you. We just couldn't be sure."

"Well, it's not him," Kagome said, out of breathe from her screaming. She then noticed that everyone in the whole school was staring at her.

People were peering out of classroom doors, while other people just stood still as statues in the hallway like they had been frozen to the spot. Some of the more popular boys and girls tried to look like they didn't care, but they would stare at her when she wasn't looking anyway, and the teachers were ether worried, or mad at her for disturbing their classes.

She had never been more embarrassed in her whole entire life.

She looked up at her friends; face burning red, before turning around and running. She ran down the hall and out through the school door. There was no way that she would ever be able to show her face in that school again. Although, lucky for her, history was her last class, so she wasn't cutting school, but it wouldn't matter anyway.

She decided not go home right away, because her family would be gone, and she didn't want Inuyasha to fret about what happened to her. It was only 3:00 so she decided just to walk around town for awhile. By the time she finally got home it was already dark. She greeted her grandpa and her mother, and ruffled her brother's hair before she finally went upstairs to her room.

When she got there, the first thing she saw was the open window. She looked over at her closet to see that the door was wide open and Inuyasha was nowhere in sight. She really wasn't surprise… he did say that there was a good chance that he was going to be gone by the time she got back. And she did go out of her way to avoid coming home.

Kagome sat on the edge of her bed… she knew that she wanted to see Inuyasha… but after that outburst in school… she couldn't bear to look at him in the eye. In a way she was almost glad that he left, but…

She lay back on her bed… she couldn't deny it forever. She rubbed her eyes hard; trying to ignore the foreign feelings that took up room in her heart. She lay like that for a short time until her mother called up to her that it was time for dinner. Sighing, Kagome got up—only to knock a small piece of paper to the floor.

Curious, she bent down and picked it up to see that it was a hand-written note from Inuyasha. It read:

_We'll meet again._

Kagome always hoped that she would one day fall in love. She just never, in a million years, would have guessed that it would be with a vampire. Not only did she love a blood-sucking creature of the night—but it was also a sarcastic, distrustful, _(incredibly hot)_ egoistical and may she add proud vampire.

Was it wrong? Wrong to love a vampire? She tried to force down those feelings, but every time that Inuyasha crossed her thoughts, which was often, she felt like a little school-girl with a crush.

This is ridiculous. Someone up there is out for her; why else would she fall in love with the one person that you shouldn't fall in love with?

Yet… she wasn't upset. She put her hands over her heart… just thinking about him caused her heart to speed up and a deep red to flush over her cheeks—she was merely confused, it felt like Wham Bam Shock smacking her in the face.

Was this really love she was feeling?

_*Inuyasha*_

Inuyasha had just arrived home, his friends were bombarding him with all sorts of questions to where he had been the last couple days, and he pretty much had to threaten them all to leave him alone. He always hoped that he would one day fall in love. He just never, in a million years, would have guessed that it would be with a human. Was this right? Was this ok that he loved a human girl?

For years he had been called a loner. That he was like a lone wolf that went on through life day after day. But now he's just Inuyasha groveling on the ground, a dog for the person or to be more specific, girl who did the thing no female vampire could ever do, she stole his heart.

_*One Week Later*_

All alone, Kagome ran down an alleyway, petrified with fear, running as fast as she was able to in her condition. She then turned a corner desperate to reach a safe haven, away from whatever was chasing her. She was exhausted, and knew that she couldn't keep running for much longer. She then looked back down the alleyway to see if she was still being chased but saw no one.

Kagome took a deep breath of relief. But then suddenly…

"Look out behind you!" a rough but deep voice called out.

Kagome turned around to see a cloaked figure dash towards her, revealing a pair of fangs long and sharp, blood dripping off them as he growled. She screamed in terror, when she took a step backwards she felt to the hard ground. Knowing that this was it, she closed her eyes waiting for those foot long fangs to bite into her.

But as the vampire was about to devour her, another cloaked figure came rushing out of nowhere and with just one slash, killed the vampire.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes to see herself still alive. Panting, she looked over to see her savior standing right in front of her with his arms flung out wide, protecting her. He then and turned around to face her; but Kagome couldn't see his face in the low light. He reached out a hand, and pulled Kagome to her feet.

"You saved my life… thank you," she told the person.

The man flinched back from her kindness as if he had been burned.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked moving a bit closer to him.

The man took a few more steps back.

"Please wait," she told him. She then noticed his hair, long silvery-white… dog ears twitching at every sound made, a face that was as familiar as her own. "You…" she whispered. Inuyasha placed his clawed hand on her cheek and he began to lower his head. Kagome's heart began to pound in her chest as she shut her eyes and waited.

"Kagome? Kagome, it's time to wake up," a voice called.

_'Huh?'_ Kagome questioned. No, not now—just one kiss…

"Kagome. Wake up!"

Kagome then opened her eyes to see Sota staring at her. "What?" she demanded. "I was having a beautiful dream and you interrupted at the best part!"

"Its 8:30! You only have half an hour to get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and mom has to drive you to school! Mom's saying that you're gonna have to walk if you don't get up!

Kagome shot up from her bed. "Ok! Ok! I'm up!" She then jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom, trying to pull her school shirt over her head and brush her hair at the same time.

Sota laughed. "You've been sleeping in a lot for a while now Kagome. Is anything keeping you awake or something?"

Kagome then rushed out of the bathroom. She walked over to her dresser and put her shoes on. "I've been having this weird dream lately. Almost every night for a week now."

"What kind of dream?" Sota asked.

"Nothing that you would understand," Kagome replied, tying her scarf around her neck.

"Well, mom isn't going to take that excuse too kindly," Sota told her.

"Yeah, I know," Kagome replied.

"Well then, you better hurry up now before we leave without you."

Kagome nodded, "Ok, I'm sorry. And get out of my room!"

After 5 more minutes, Kagome finally ran out of the house and met with her mom who was looking anxious to leave.

"You're late again Kagome," mom told her.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," Kagome replied.

"We really have to do something about this sleep habit of yours Kagome," mom began as Sota came out of the house and they all got in the car. "If you keep sleeping in late all the time then we're gonna have to…"

"I know! I said I'm sorry. I promise to go to sleep earlier tonight!" called Kagome.

Once her mother looked satisfied, Kagome leaned back into her seat, rubbing her arm, very sullen. Kagome was trying so hard to keep up with everything that had been happening. She hadn't seen or heard from Inuyasha for a least a week and she was really beginning to worry about him. Every night she had the same dream—the dream that she was being chased and almost eaten by some kind of evil vampire before Inuyasha showed up and saved her. But when he did save her, she was always shaken awake when he would lean in about to kiss her.

"So, what were you dreaming about Kagome?" Sota asked. "Whatever it was, it must've been good."

"I told you," Kagome said grumpily as she was staring at the gloomy, cloud-covered sky. "You wouldn't understand."

"How do you know?" Sota demanded. "I won't understand if you don't tell me."

Kagome sighed in annoyance and said, "Fine, if you really want to know, it was about vampires."

"Vampires?" Sota cried. "Oh, I knew it! I knew that you thought vampires were scary! It was a nightmare about a vampire sucking your blood wasn't it?"

"No," Kagome said simply.

"NO?"

"No," Kagome repeated. "It wasn't like that at all. See? I told you wouldn't understand." She went back to staring out the window.

_*Inuyasha*_

"Don't you love dark mornings?" a hooded figure said to his companion, both sitting on the roof of a house, covering themselves with black cloaks.

"You know, I don't remember asking you to come with me Miroku!" the second figure replied.

Miroku chuckled. "I wanted to see what you've been up to Inuyasha. You've been coming here every day watching something—or should I be so bold to say someone?"

"Shut it!" Inuyasha exclaimed looking over at him. He then resumed watching the cars go beneath him—waiting. "There, over there," Inuyasha pointed. "That girl."

Miroku looked over his shoulder. A young woman was getting was getting out of a car in front of the high school. "Gods," Miroku whispered. "She really does look like Kikyo doesn't she? I see what Shippo was talking about, there is no way that this can be a coincidence."

Inuyasha continued to watch her as she walked up the steps to where a group of girls were talking. "No, she's nothing like her."

"No? Inuyasha open your eyes! She and Kikyo look like sisters! Twins sisters!" Miroku told him. "I mean, why else do you like to watch her?"

"I don't watch her!" Inuyasha shouted at him before muttering under his breath, "I just like to see her from a distance."

"From a distance is all you'll be able to do. She's a mortal after all and we're vampires."

"I know that!" he snapped at Miroku.

"But it might not always be that way. We still have time…" Miroku said.

"We only have a few months until the eclipse comes. What makes you think that we can find the stupid thing? We've been searching for it for the last 500 years!" Inuyasha demanded. "We're never gonna find it in time!"

"Never say never Inuyasha. We still have a few more months until times up. And even if we miss it, we'll get another chance."

"I don't want to wait another 500 years!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Try to think positively for once."

"You be positive, I'm being realistic."

Inuyasha went back to looking at Kagome as if hypnotized by her face. Miroku looked from him to the girl and back again.

"If Naraku ever found out that you-"

"Well Naraku won't find out!" Inuyasha interrupted.

"He will eventually if you keep this up. You better be careful that she doesn't become his next victim."

"Don't you have some errands to run for Sango?" Inuyasha snapped and he was glad to see the smug smile wiped from Miroku's face. "Oh, hell! I forgot! Sango'll never speak to me again!"

"She never talked to you before!" Inuyasha called after him. "How will this change anything?"

He then left Inuyasha alone to keep staring at Kagome. He watched her talk to the girls for a short time, before an idiotic looking boy with a goofy smile came running up and started talking to her.

Inuyasha clenched his fists. He glared at the guy itching to go down and tell him off. That guy, whoever he was…he had to go.

But to his surprise, Kagome suddenly looked up and noticed him. Inuyasha gasped and quickly hid, wondering if she had spotted him.

Inuyasha slid down in between the two sides of the building, and didn't look up until he was sure that all the students were inside. He sighed in disappointment, yet was glad at the same time that she had noticed that he was there. Inuyasha left soon after that. He hadn't fed in a long time, and if he didn't get any blood in him soon, he could end up losing his mind.

However tonight … he decided that he would pay Kagome another visit.

_*Kagome*_

Kagome had suddenly looked up from talking to Hojo, praying that he would take the hint and stop bugging her about being his girlfriend. Honestly, doesn't he have an ounce of common sense in his head?

But as she looked up at one of the buildings, she saw a dark hooded figure watching her. She blinked and the next second he disappeared. Was that…? It couldn't be an Inuyasha…could it? She watched the spot for a few more seconds until her friends pulled her inside. She let them drag her off to their first class… but she was smiling the whole way.

(Hey, i hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry for taking so long, but i've been at major writer's block. I'm planning to put up another Inuyasha/Kagome story up soon. If you want a preview then look it up on my profile and tell me what you think. Thanks again and please leave a nice review)


	18. Dark Love

_**Chapter Sixteen: Dark Love **_

How was it that vampires exist? How about all the other creatures we hear from stories… are they real to? They had to start from somewhere don't they? Otherwise people wouldn't know about them. And wouldn't create such awful horror movies about them.

Deep in a forest, what laid dead for nearly 500 years—was a great tree. Or at least… it was once a great tree. It had turned to a charcoal-black color and grew to be sharp and twisted, the roots bulging and burying deep into the broken ground for none-existing water. Their dead leaves scattered the forest floor as a reminder of the better days where the tree had once thrived. It was a barren wasteland where not even the simplest life form could live.

And yet at the base of this dead tree sat a familiar silver-haired vampire.

Inuyasha had his back against the trunk of the tree; he had been sitting there for so long that the leaves that had been blown in the wind built up around his body and were outlining his shape. He was so lost in his thoughts that he was unaware of his surroundings; if it wasn't for the fact that he was breathing most would think that he had died.

There was a small whisper that echoed through the forest, a gentle wind picked up and carried the voice with it, the leaves rustled but gladly moved to where the wind told it to go. And once it reached Inuyasha's sensitive ears he became alert once more and the golden eyes opened.

Sighing, he pulled himself up, feeling the wind and leaves brush past him as he got his bearings back. He stood himself up and brushed his clothes to get rid of any loose dirt or leaves, knowing that he couldn't pull it off any longer.

He glanced up at the darkening sky… knowing that the voice of nature was telling him that a storm was coming. It was the time to face Kagome again… he had been denying his thirst for a long time now and he didn't think that he would be able to stop himself tonight.

_*Kagome*_

Kagome was sitting at her desk as she read through one of her favorite fantasy books. It happened to be a story she loved, and no matter how many times she read it, she never got bored of it. Twilight: a story of a vampire and a human girl falling in love. How appropriate or should she say ironic?

Kagome had just finished reading one of her favorite lines, _"It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true." _Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 2, p.31.

Kagome was only beginning to realize just how much she sympathized with Bella. Bella felt like she was nothing more than an ordinary human woman who had fallen head-over-heels in love with the immortal hottie Edward. Were the feelings Kagome was having now the exact ones that Bella was feeling when she realized that she was in love with a vampire?

"_I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. No one was going to bite me," _Kagome read out loud. She rolled her eyes… "Isabella you don't know how wrong you are."

She got up so that she could fall onto her bed and get some sleep for tomorrow. She rested her head in her hands while staring up at her ceiling lost in thought.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Kagome said to herself, "Of all the people it had to be… why it had to be a vampire?" Kagome sighed before she turned back to the book and turned the page over casually, _"For an instant, I felt a thrill of genuine fear, raising the hair on my arms. The look only lasted a second, but it chilled me more than the freezing wind."_

Yes, Bella seemed to be the only person who could describe her feelings perfectly. She wished that she could talk to her get some advice.

There was a loud bang and a flash of light that made Kagome squeak and turn to her window, seeing a sudden heavy downpour bash against her window while thunder and lightning attacked the dark sky. Kagome stood up from her bed and walked over to her window to gaze at the terrible night.

_'Aww man…I'm never going to get to sleep now,'_ Kagome thought as she pulled her light pink pajama top closer around her, _'It came down so quickly though… I didn't even notice it.'_

Kagome then squeaked again at another loud noise, though this time it was from a knock on her bedroom door and Kagome turned round to face it.

"Kagome, your light is still on so I know you're awake," her grandfather called through the door, "Get to bed already, you have school tomorrow."

"Yes, grandpa," Kagome called back, then creeping to the door she listened as her grandfather returned to his own room and shut it behind her. Kagome rolled her eyes, "Even though I'm seventeen he treats me like a grade-schooler," Kagome pouted, hating anything that made people think she was a child.

Kagome turned her desk lamp off and closed her book. She glanced at the storm outside once more before climbing into her bed with a sigh and pulling the covers tightly around her, hoping that somehow she'd fall asleep with the loud rain next to her.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long for the teen to fall asleep. After a few hours she was in a deep slumber in her small bundle of covers while the storm still raged on, not feeling disturbed by the roar of the rain or the clap of thunder and lightning meeting each other in the sky, to her, her room was a small island in a raging storm where she was safe. Nothing could touch her.

Kagome then gave a small shiver in her sleep as a harsh cold air floated through her room and made her pull the covers tighter around her body and turn over so she laid on her back instead. The rain splattered in Kagome's room through the now open window, taking in all opportunity it could have to wet everything within 5 feet. Someone then walked in through the window, gently touching the floor and looking around the darkened room. A flash of lightning conveniently lit up Kagome's room, so Kagome could be seen in her bed by Inuyasha.

Inuyasha walked closer to the teen, quietly and leaving wet footprints behind him as he was sopping wet by the rain. He came to the bed and stared at the sleeping girl, observing her peaceful face while water drops ran down her own face. He then sat down on the covers, being gentle as he leaned over her and stroked her cheek softly. As he began tracing his thumb over Kagome's lips she mumbled something unintelligent in her sleep, making him chuckle.

Then slowly and gently he leant closer to her and let his wet lips grace Kagome's lips in a small kiss.

Kagome didn't wake at first; despite the wet cold touch to her lips she remained asleep and unaware of Inuyasha stealing a kiss from her. Kagome then began to groan in her sleep when she started to feel the wet hair fall onto her face, Kagome then slowly started waking up; blinking eyes slightly she saw Inuyasha leaning over her and their lips touching.

After getting her head round it, she blushed to a crimson color and sat up breaking their kiss. She stared at Inuyasha who stared back, just sitting in silence and staring deep into each others eyes.

When a flash of lightning broke the darkness and their fixed gaze and brought Kagome back to her senses, she quickly turned to her light and flicked it on. Inuyasha was sitting there besides her, dripping wet, looking as though he had just climbed out of a swimming pool. Just then another bang of thunder made Kagome realize the window was open and the rain was drenching her room.

"Inu-Inuyasha?" Kagome croaked.

He grinned at her. "Miss me?"

Kagome blushed again, before she asked, "Why were you kissing me when I was asleep?"

He shrugged, "Couldn't help myself. Why? Didn't you like it?"

She raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm not even going to answer that." She pulled her quilt off her and flung her feet over the side of the bed before asking a little more urgently, "Why are you here? And why are you dripping wet?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "In case you haven't noticed, there's a storm going on."

Kagome smacked him with her pillow, "I know that! I mean, why are you here? Is there something wrong?"

"What? Can't your friendly neighborhood vampire drop in for a visit?" Inuyasha asked in an offended tone.

Kagome sighed, "Not that I'm not glad to see you Inuyasha, but it's been awhile since you 'dropped' in and now you show up soaking wet during a storm…"

"You always hated storms right?" Inuyasha cut in. "Just wanted to make sure that you were alright."

Kagome went even redder than before if that was possible. She turned her head away with a small smile gracing her lips as he said, "Want me to help you get over that fear?"

Kagome blinked at him in surprise, "What are you talking about?"

Grinning in a way that she didn't like; he merely stood up, walked over to the open window, and held out his hand to her. Kagome blinked in confusion for a moment before it finally clicked.

"Oh, no. No you can't expect me to go out in a storm in the middle of the night!" Kagome cried.

"Don't you want to get over your fear of storms?" he asked as if she was dim.

"I'll get wet!"

"Yeah, you usually do when you're out during a storm. What are you a woman or a cat?"

Kagome opened her mouth again to argue but then he said, "I promise that you'll be fine."

She stopped suddenly. She didn't know what to do, her more reasonable side was telling her to stay where she was and tell Inuyasha that he should just leave. This side was telling her all sorts of things that could happen if she went. Like she could get sick, her family might come in and find her missing, she could end up being seen by someone and get Inuyasha exposed…

But her more adventurous, more playful side was telling her to go. To forget about being good for once in her life and to let him take her out.

She let her two sides continue to argue with each other as she sat there wondering what to do… That's when Inuyasha came back to her side and asked, "Do you trust me?"

"What?" Kagome asked through numbs lips

"Do you trust me?" he asked as he held out her hand.

Kagome looked from his hand to his face before looking back down at his hand and whispered so quietly that she couldn't hear her own voice, "Yes."

Not knowing why she did it, she put her hand into his stronger one and allowed him to pull her to her feet. "Don't worry," he said as they approached her window. "I promise that you're fear of storms ends tonight."

And suddenly, Kagome was swept off her feet and onto Inuyasha's back as he leapt out into the storm. Her scream of fear couldn't be heard over another roar of thunder. She felt the first shock of cold water hit her face almost like shards of glass cutting her skin. She was quickly drenched to the bone before Inuyasha even hit the ground.

But as soon as his feet hit earth he suddenly launched them into the sky. Kagome kept her eyes tightly shut, trying to ignore the feeling of the rain, she couldn't remember being wetter in her life.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha called above the sounds of the rain and the thunder, "You might want to open your eyes.

Kagome wanted to tell him to shut up but she did what she was told… and she was glad that she did.

When she looked, Kagome's fingers clenched and she uttered a soft cry.

The air outside sparkled, shimmering like a snow globe full of glitter.

Kagome blinked and rubbed the water out of her eyes, she was softly falling in midair, looking at the city beneath her. She could see the light of every single raindrop…

There were thousands of them, each in a freefall. They seemed to glow, filling the streets with strange silver light. Falling so hard and fast that they seemed to blur everything and distorted Kagome's vision. But at the same time she could see them, perfect spheres no bigger than the smallest pearl, translucent as beads of crystal.

Once they hit the ground they shattered as if they were made of glass, creating the image of a foamy mist on the ground beneath them.

"This is a dream," she said aloud, and then wished she hadn't. It didn't seem right saying that. Wondering if she were dreaming made her feel more… awake somehow.

And this was already too real: no unexplained panic, no watching herself from above, no feeling as if she were in a play and didn't know her lines—just lost in a waking daydream.

She pinched herself, it hurt which meant that this was no dream… besides, this was too beautiful for any dream she could come up with.

The millions of beautiful diamonds filled the air, floating over the wet, shiny asphalt. Only a few inches apart as they fell, they stretched as far as Kagome could see, down the street and up into the sky. Little white gems no bigger than tears.

No moon was visible. Thick clouds still hung over them as lighting began to flash, shrouding everything in a blinding white light for a fraction of a second before fading. The light seemed to be reflecting from the diamond raindrops, as if an invasion of Christmas lights had been racing each other to the ground.

Kagome's eyes widened. It was so beautiful, so still and wondrous, that her worry was instantly gone.

In a daze, she raised her head higher and the wind began to whip through her wet hair. The drops kissed her face coolly, turning into water as she collided with them. They melted instantly, wetting her with water no colder than the wind. She could smell the fresh scent of the shower; feel the electricity of recent lightning, the life of the storm all around her. Her hairs tingled, laughter bubbling up inside her.

But they were losing altitude rapidly. Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was falling to the ground again, she braced herself and he then sprang them both up as if he was launched from a cannon. Splashes of water dotted the concrete, where raindrops hit the ground. The whole street shimmered with the shapes of splashes, like a garden of ice flowers.

A raindrop got catch on one of her eyelashes and hovered right in front of her eye. The houses on the street, the arrested sky, the whole world was there inside, upside down and warped into a circle, like looking through a crystal ball. The water droplet got heavy and then shivered as it jumped into motion, falling onto her cheek and running down it like a cold tear.

Kagome smiled as she soared through the sky, looking around her for more wonders.

All the houses on the street seemed to be glowing, their windows filled with silver light. She looked back at her own house, surprised by the distance already. The roof was aglitter with splashes, and a river of water gushed from the meeting of two gutters at one corner. The windows glowed dully, but there hadn't been any lights on inside. Maybe it wasn't just the raindrops. The houses, the still clouds above, everything seemed to be incandescent with light.

'_Where did that cold light come from?'_ she wondered.

But at that moment in time she couldn't care less. She laughed and held out her arms, reaching out to grab handfuls of raindrops from the air, in a world of diamonds.

_*Later*_

She didn't know how long she was out in the rain with Inuyasha, an hour at least? She had seen the city in a way that she never dreamt possible—she always thought that storms where destructive forces of nature—but now she saw that it was more than that. It was alive in its own way… rain soaking into the earth, filling it with life-giving water, thunder roaring in the heavens as pure noise but generating power… and finally the lighting flashing bright, before fading away in a blink of an eye.

How could she ever have been afraid of storms?

But finally, Inuyasha seemed to feel as if she had enough and they soon arrived at her house. She had expected him to take her back to her bedroom window, but to her surprise they landed in the backyard. He carried her over to the pagoda before he gently set her on her feet again.

She swayed slightly, holding onto him for support until she got the feeling back in her legs. She looked up at him and smiled, glad to see that he was smiling as well.

"So…" he began, "Are you still afraid of storms?"

Full of too much vigor to speak she could only shake her head. She sat down on the small bench and finally looked down at herself to see what kind of mess she was in. Her pajamas were holding so much water that they looked like they were made from a sponge. She skin was so wet that her hands and feet were starting to look like raisins, her hair was probably the worst of it though; it looked and felt like a wet mop.

Nevertheless, she was smiling broadly and after a while she finally found her voice. "That-that was—amazing."

Amazing was the only word that she could think off, but even it didn't seem to fit her mood. There was just—there were no words to describe it.

"Thank you," she said to Inuyasha standing up. They both got very close to each other and looked into each other's faces, trying to read it's others feelings. Inuyasha was as much of a mess as she was, in waterlogged clothes, and his hair looking like it was a nest of white silly string.

But he was full of as much of energy that she was.

He moved even closer to her so that she could feel his strong body against hers, and knowing what was coming, she shut her eyes. She raised her head and he met her halfway like she expected.

She moved her lips against his as if she had been doing it for years, her tongue dancing with his, breathing in his husky, spice scent. As they were lip-locked, she realized something. When the world is full of trouble and struggle, what was the one thing that moves us through this crazy game called life?

Emotions… it was our emotions that kept us going. They were stronger than any forms of magic that she had ever read about in any fairytale. Emotions were what make us behave as we do even if we realize it or not. We can't escape them no matter how hard we try, and the more that we try to run from them, the more they pull you in.

Like a great well, the more that you try to force your way out, the more that you get dragged in.

And it was Kagome's feelings for Inuyasha that were pulling her even deeper into that pit. She finally ran out of air and broke away for so that she could breathe. That didn't stop Inuyasha however. He kissed her jaw line and down her cheek until he found her neck.

As soon as his lips touched her neck, Kagome could practically feel the struggle inside his head. He was fighting to bite—or not to bite.

"It's ok," she whispered. Inuyasha had down something so wonderful for her, and she wanted to help him in turn. "I don't mind. But please, don't take so much that I can't get up to go to school tomorrow."

"You sure?" he whispered back.

Kagome hesitated for a moment… but then nodded. "This won't hurt will it?"

She felt Inuyasha's tongue on her neck before he said softly, "Don't worry."

And then she felt it.

She felt his fangs sink themselves into her neck. It was both pain and pure bliss. It was like she was given two shots of Novocain and they began to pump through her body. Soon she felt herself growing dizzy and if it weren't for Inuyasha's arms holding her, she knew that she would've falling to the ground. Just when she was beginning to think that Inuyasha couldn't stop himself—he stopped.

She felt his fangs being pulled from her neck and she was suddenly being held. One of his arms was wrapped around her chest, the other underneath her knees; holding her close to him. "Inu-Inuyasha?" she whispered as darkness flooded her eyes.

"Don't worry," she heard his voice answer her. "I'll take you back now."

She felt the rain hitting her face, and the wind once again, but only for a moment. The next thing that she knew was that she was inside again and was being carried over to a soft mattress. She felt Inuyasha's arms leave her as soon as she was placed onto the bed and she heard the sound of a window closing.

Inuyasha was.

She shut her eyes, and almost immediately drifted off into a deep sleep. The last thing that came to her mind were the words that Bella had used:

'_About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward (Inuyasha) was a vampire. Second, there was part of him — and I didn't know how potent that part might be — that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.'_


	19. A Vampire's Love and a Girl's Heart

**_Chapter Seventeen: A Vampire's Love and a Girl's Heart_**

The next morning Kagome woke up smiling.

The dream had been so beautiful, as perfect as the raindrops falling in the air. How she could ever have been afraid of storms was beyond her.

The sun shone brightly into her room, accompanied by the sound of water dripping from the trees onto the roof. Kagome lay in bed, luxuriating in a feeling of relief.

Kagome's dreams weren't usually very profound. When she was nervous about a test, she had test-hell nightmares. But Kagome knew that this dream had a deeper meaning. The world could start again, once she let it.

And to top it all off—it was Friday.

She sighed as she rolled over and sat up… to discover that her clothes were still wet. She blinked in surprise before she twisted around so fast that she almost fell off the bed. She saw that the window was still wide open and a light wind was blowing her curtains. Inuyasha had been here… and he had taken her out during the storm… it wasn't a dream after all.

And she let him drink some of her blood. She got up, swaying lightly as she walked to her mirror, to get a better look at her neck. There wasn't a single mark on her neck… nothing.

Like Inuyasha had never bitten her. But she did notice that she was pale as a sheet. Of course, she lost some blood last night.

"Kagome!" her mom called from downstairs. "Are you up yet?"

"Yeah!" she yelled back. "I'm getting ready!"

With some difficultly, she was able to pull off her wet clothes and hung them in the bathroom to dry before she pulled on her favorite jeans and blouse. A part of her was hoping that Inuyasha was hiding in her closet again… but when she peered in… there wasn't anything but her clothes.

Trying not be too disappointed, she got dressed, grabbed her backpack, and went down for breakfast. She had told her mother that she took a quick shower when she was asked about her still damp hair. She left for school as she always did and arrived on time like she always tried to do… and she talked with her friends about unimportant things just like every day.

School was the same as ever. Math was still her worst subject, and her teachers still gave out to much homework. If not for the fact that she woke up soaking wet, she would've sworn that her being out in the rain with Inuyasha was just a dream. She attended all of her classes, and waved goodbye to her friends… nothing seemed out of place… but for some reason, everything seemed so surreal to her…

"See you on Monday, Kagome," Yuka told her.

Kagome smiled as she waved goodbye, "And you too."

She started to walk home like she did every day. She was glad that it was the weekend—she was tired of trying to avoid Hojo…

"HEY KAGOME!"

Crap, she spoke to soon. She stopped walking, and turned around to see Hojo running to catch up to her. "Hojo!" she muttered, trying hard not to sound annoyed. He slowed down and gave her that big goofy grin that Kagome wanted to sigh at. (In a annoyed way, not in a fan-girl way.)

"Hey, I was wondering if you would maybe… like to… oh, I don't know… go and see a movie tonight?" Hojo asked hopefully. "I mean… if you don't have anything else to do that is," he finished hastily.

Kagome was trying to think of a polite excuse to why she couldn't go instead of explaining why she **didn't** want to go—but somebody beat her to it. That somebody snuck up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"There you are Kagome," said a familiar voice that she would know anywhere.

"Inu-Inuyasha?" she whispered. She turned to look and there and behold… it was her favorite vampire.

He was dressed in a bright red t-shirt and torn jeans… along with a blue and red cap to hide his cute dog ears. He looked like he belonged to a biker gang… but other than that, he looked just like any other human with white hair and gold eyes. He looked down at her and grinned.

Startled to see him in broad daylight, she looked up at the sky, to realize for the first time that the clouds were blocking out the sun. Perfect weather for Inuyasha to be out and about. "I've been waiting for you," he said as he began to lead her away from Hojo.

"Inuyasha?" she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"I came because I needed you promised to come with me somewhere tonight Kagome, remember?" he said. Once their faces were turned away from Hojo he winked and mouthed, 'Play along.'

Seeing that he was here to get her out of this mess she turned back to Hojo and said, in what she hoped was a sorry tone, though, to her, it sounded like it came out more cheerful, "Sorry Hojo."

"Kagome?" Hojo asked as he looked at Inuyasha in both surprise, and what appeared to be a little resentment.

"I was going to help Inuyasha with something tonight," Kagome said. And as an afterthought, she added, "And all weekend too I'm afraid. So I don't think that I can go to the movies with you tonight. But I do know a freshmen—Jane—I think her name is, would be more than happy to go with you."

"But Kagome," Hojo began, clearly not understanding. "Who is this guy?"

"Kagome we should go," Inuyasha said quickly.

"Yeah," Kagome agreed as she took his arm and they both walked away. "See you on Monday Hojo!" she called over her shoulder. "Thanks for that," she muttered to Inuyasha once they were out of ear-shot. "I was thinking that I would have had to go out with him after all. I mean, after all the times that I told him that I just want to be friends, he still thinks that we're dating!"

"So… you two aren't going out?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously.

"Of course not," Kagome said rolling her eyes. "It's just wishful thinking on his part."

"Yeah," Inuyasha agreed. "He's just fooling himself."

"But more importantly," Kagome said, "Why are you here? Not that I'm not glad to see you. I mean…" she grinned as she thought about last night. "I'm glad that you took me out last night."

"Over your fear of storms?" he asked slyly.

"Completely," Kagome said. "But that doesn't answer my question."

They were both quiet for awhile as they walked home together. Kagome felt it to be a little odd to be walking home with a vampire in the daytime. But then again, maybe she was just reading too many fairytales. Finally, once they were in sight of Kagome's house, Inuyasha said, "I came here because… because there are some people that I think you need to meet."

"Need to meet?" Kagome asked confused. "Who would that be? And why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no," Inuyasha said. "Nothing like that. It's just that the rest of my coven want to meet you that's all."

"Your coven?" Kagome repeated before her eyes widened. "You mean the other vampires?"

"Yep," Inuyasha answered simply. "They want to know this snack that I've taken a liking to."

"So, in other words you want to bring me over to your place as a bottle of champagne for your friends?" Kagome asked sharply.

"No," Inuyasha replied quickly. "It's just that… they really want to meet you."

"Why though?" Kagome asked.

"Well…" Inuyasha said a little more slowly. "It's just that… we don't usually let humans… know what we are."

"You mean vampires?" Kagome stated.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "No, I mean fashion models. Yes, of course that we're blood-suckers."

"Sorry," Kagome said. "It's just that… I'm having trouble thinking about going to go and see other vampires. What's going to happen?"

Inuyasha hesitated. "They think that you might be able to help us."

"Help you with what?" Kagome demanded.

"I can't tell you now," Inuyasha said roughly. "But if you really want to know everything about us vampires then you'll come tonight. I'll pick you up at midnight… so how about it?"

Kagome thought it over for a minute. She wanted to go with Inuyasha and learn everything he has to tell her, and she was curious about meeting his vampire friends… but would that be safe for her?

"Is that safe?" she asked.

"They won't hurt you," Inuyasha said confidently. "They're far too well-behaved to attack guests."

"You sure?" Kagome asked. Not that she didn't trust him, but she was making sure that he knew what he was getting her into.

"I'm sure," Inuyasha said. "In fact, between you and me, I'm considered the 'untamed' vampire in the coven."

Kagome's jaw dropped. "You mean to tell me that you're the weirdo in a gang of weirdoes?"

"Interesting way to put it," Inuyasha said, "But—yeah."

"OK," she said slowly. "In that case… I guess it'd be safe. What did you guys need help with?"

"You'll find out tonight," he answered. But before Kagome could ask anything else, the front door of her house opened up, and her mother was standing there, staring at them like she couldn't believe her eyes.

Inuyasha leaned in towards Kagome suddenly, and put his lips near her neck again. He breathed her scent in. Kagome froze for a moment, but then Inuyasha whispered, "I'll see you tonight." He then stood straight up, turned around, and walked quickly down the block and out of sight.

Kagome blinked—and stood where she was before she remembered her mother. She turned to see her mother still standing on the front porch, looking happier than she had seen her in a long time. Wondering what she was smiling about, Kagome went up to her.

"Mom?" she asked cautiously. "What?"

Her mom was looking at her with a satisfied grin and asked, "Kagome… why didn't you tell me that you have a boyfriend?"

Kagome felt her face burn as her jaw dropped again. "What?" she asked. "Inuyasha's not my…"

"Inuyasha?" her mother cut in exactly. "That's his name? Not the kind of name that I expected from my future son-in-law but it's definitely unique."

"Son-in-law?" Kagome screamed. "Mom! You don't understand… there's nothing going on… he's just my…"

_'Her what?'_ she thought. _'Just what were she and Inuyasha? Friends? Or just a snack?'_

Unfortunately, her mom brought her back down to earth by saying, "I'm sure that you two will make beautiful grandbabies for me."

Kagome could've sworn that people 50 miles away heard her screaming in embarrassment. Why did her life have to be so complicated?


	20. Vampire Meetings

_**Chapter Eighteen: Vampire Meetings **_

That night, Inuyasha came to her window and waited for her to pull on her coat and climb through the window towards him. "So," she asked him as he jumped down with her in his arms and they began racing through the night.

"Where are we going again?"

"I never said where we were going," Inuyasha told her.

"Yeah," Kagome said a little grumpily. "So why don't you tell me now?"

"Why?" he asked "Where going there now, you'll find out once we get there."

"But I want to be prepared," Kagome said.

"You don't trust me?" Inuyasha asked shrewdly.

"It isn't a matter of trust," she answered. "It's just that you came over and, pretty much forced me to come with you tonight to meet your friends that I know nothing about. I mean, you didn't even tell me their names or what they're like."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Inuyasha!"

"I'm just saying…"

"Stop being a jerk!"

"What are you so nervous about?"

"How would you feel if you were going to meet a coven of vampires that you never met before?"

"No problem. I'm a vampire."

"But I'm not!"

"Just relax! I'm going to be there to."

"Yeah but…"

"Look!" Inuyasha said, finally losing patience. "I swear that I won't let anything happen to you ok? Just trust me."

She gave him a dark look before she nodded and stayed quiet for a few minutes until she asked something that had been bothering her for awhile.

"Just who are you?" Kagome asked looking up at him.

Inuyasha was so surprised at the question that he stopped running and stared at her as if she lost her mind. "What are you talking about?" he demanded. "You know who I am. I'm Inuyasha!"

"No," she whispered. "I meant who are you? Why are you here? And why are you taking me to meet your… ah… friends I guess? Why are you telling me all of this?"

Inuyasha frowned at her. But not as if he wanted her to shut up, he looked thoughtful, as if he too was trying to figure that out. "You know… I really don't know," he admitted. "But… I think you should meet them. They're good people. And I promise that they won't hurt you. Not if you're with me."

"You promise?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Promise…" he whispered.

"Ok, then," she said.

He nodded and he took off running.

_*A few minutes later*_

They were standing outside a large graveyard.

"How appropriate," Kagome muttered under her breath. Inuyasha stopped running and gently placed Kagome down. "Of all the places for me to meet a coven of vampires… you take me to a graveyard."

He smiled a toothy grin at her before he took her hand and led her through the large Iron Gate. "We were going to meet somewhere more cheerful, but this seemed fitting don't you think?"

"You got that right," Kagome whispered as they began walking pass dozens of graves. "You couldn't have picked a creepier place."

Onwards they walked, until they were in the very center of the cemetery… a tall shrine was raised there. It was a place where you pray to your friends or loved ones while you visited the gravesites. It was a tall, beautifully caved structure with old sutras and wilting flowers covering the entrance.

"It's beautiful," Kagome whispered. "But where are these friends of yours?"

"Why they're right here," said a cheerful voice from the shadows, causing Kagome to jump and hide behind Inuyasha. Inuyasha just laughed before he waved his hand out and called, "Sango! Miroku! It's ok!"

And just like that, two tall vampires came out from behind the shine, both with bright smiles on their faces. Kagome looked out from behind Inuyasha to get a better look at them.

There was a man and a woman coming towards them. Kagome didn't know what she was expecting… maybe some old balding, pointy eared, drooling monsters? But no. They were both unnaturally pale and thin, but other than that they looked no different than any other humans.

The man had a cheerful and good-natured face with a goofy smile plastered on. He had short black hair but just long enough to tie into a small ponytail in the back of his head. He was dressed in a dark blue and purple t-shirt over some worn jeans… and for some reason a large purple cloth was tied around his right hand, secured with beads. He came right over and clapped Inuyasha on the back as if they were brothers before Kagome turned her attention to the girl standing beside them.

She was a very pretty girl… with long brown hair that looked almost black and the most startling brown eyes with pink eye shadow. She was brushing off some leaves on her pink and red shirt and fixing her green skirt before she walked over to them. Clearly wanting to make a good first impression.

She smiled brightly when she saw Kagome and held out her hand. "Hi," said the female vampire. "My name's Sango. You must be Kagome… and let me say that it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Kagome hesitated for a moment before she relaxed and took Sango's hand. "The pleasure's all mind."

The man, who she assumed must've been Miroku, looked at her up and down before nodding and taking hold of her hands in both of his. "Dearest Kagome," he said as though they knew each other their whole lives. "It's a true delight to finally meet you face to face. And now that you're here, I want to ask you just one question?"

"What?" Kagome asked, feeling uncomfortable with him being so close to her.

"I just want to know if you're willing to bearing my children?"

Kagome felt her jaw drop. But before she could smack him, Inuyasha and Sango both punched him so hard that he landed face-first in the dirt.

"You pervert!" Sango yelled at him. "Will you stop acting like a dirty old man for once in your life and act serious?"

"I am being serious," Miroku asked. "That is a serious question!"

Miroku bounced up as if he was made of rubber and took Sango's hand. "Unless of course, you're suggesting…"

She smacked him across the face again. "Oh, grow up!"

Kagome stared at the exchange, not knowing either to laugh or not. Inuyasha leaned down and whispered. "They do this all the time. Don't worry. Not everyone you're going to meet tonight is as crazy as these two."

He took her hand and pulled her towards the shrine… where she was sure that everyone else was waiting. And sure enough, once Miroku pushed open the doors, there was a large group of people all sitting cross-legged on the floor and all talking to each other—well most of them were talking. There was one standing in the far corner of the room, looking bored.

"HEY!" Inuyasha yelled, getting everyone's attention. Everyone's heads turned towards them. Kagome felt her face beginning to turn red. It was like she was suddenly forced on stage in front of a crowd and she forgot her line.

Inuyasha took Kagome's upper arm and brought her upfront so everyone could get a good look at her. "This is Kagome. And I would like to say that no one is allowed to eat her. I'll kill anyone who tries to take a bite."

"OK!" yelled a girl with her red hair in pigtails and has green eyes. She also had a purple iris in her hair and a headband, as she looked at Kagome up and down as if trying to measure her up. "You don't have to threaten us!"

Kagome looked behind the girl to see the others. There was a young man with tan skin, long black hair that was tied in a ponytail like Miroku's was, but the one on this guy was a lot longer so that it resembled a wolf tail. He gave her a flirty grin, and Kagome felt herself go even redder as she turned her head away from him.

The one standing in the far corner of the room barely paid her any attention. He looked to be a little bit older than Inuyasha and there was a bit of an aristocratic look about him, with his handsome face and long white hair. As if he was some kind of… unfriendly gentlemen air about him. But his eyes… when he did finally turn to look at her, his eyes were unbearably cold. It was as if she was looking at two blue ice cubes.

There was another girl, one that looked to be around the same age as Sango. Out of everyone in the room, she looked like… like a cat. She had a slightly pointed face, cat-like red eyes, and long cream colored hair that was tied in two ponytails at the back of her head. But at the same time, there was a kind of—gentleness in her face. She nodded wisely at Kagome before she turned to the two youngest looking vampires next to her.

There was a young boy who looked no older than ten or eleven and the sweetest, most gentle face she had ever seen. He smiled kindly at her and Kagome couldn't help but smile back.

Lastly, there was a little girl that looked no older than 7 sitting besides the boy. She reminded Kagome of a ray of sunlight. She had an adorable little face, black hair tied up in a small tress on the side of her face and the widest, brightest smile that Kagome had ever seen.

"Hi!" the little girl called to Kagome, before standing up and walking over to her. "Nice to meet you!" she said.

"Uh, hi," Kagome said uncertainly. She sure wasn't expecting such a sweet little girl to be a vampire. But as the girl opened her mouth to talk, she could just make out the tips of her pointed fangs. She then pointed at herself and said, "I'm Rin," she then pointed to everyone else in the room, "I'm sure that you already met Sango and Miroku, but this here," she pointed to the girl with red hair, "Is Ayame."

Ayame smiled in a friendly way before she sat back down and hugged the arm of the black hair vampire that looked like a wolf. "This is Koga," Rin went on pointing to vampire with the flirty smile. She then pointed to the boy with the sweet face and said, "That's Kohaku, Sango's little brother."

Kohaku blushed slightly, and Rin then turned to the vampire standing as far from them as possible. But before she could say anything else, he already spoke for her. "I can introduce myself," he said in a calm and cold voice that sent shivers up Kagome's spine.

"Sesshomaru," he said to her with a slight nod.

"Do you always have to be so cold, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked bitterly.

"What I do is none of your business," Sesshomaru said, but then an icy smile crept onto his face and Kagome felt the temperature in the room drop, "Little brother."

Brother? This was Inuyasha's brother? Kagome looked at Inuyasha who was wearing a very sour look. "He's your brother?"

"Unfortunately," he muttered sulkily. "Normally, I try to forget that I have one."

Kagome then turned her attention to the last vampire sitting there. She got up and also decided to walk over to her. "Hi," she mewed in a gentle tone. "My name's Kirara. Nice to finally meet you. We've all been wondering when we would get to see the drink that Inuyasha has become addicted to.

Kagome didn't think it was possible to go any redder but she just did.

But before she could come up with a witty comment to come-back with, Rin said, "Hey… wait a minute. We're missing someone." She looked around her in a confused way. "Where's Shippo?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Inuyasha said unconcerned. "I noticed the kid wasn't bugging me."

"Must've gotten lost again," the guy called Koga said. "He's always getting lost."

"Don't you think we should look for him though?" Kohaku asked.

"We don't know how much time we have here though," Ayame said worriedly.

"Yeah but…" Sango began.

"Um… excuse me?" Kagome asked timidly, interrupting the argument. "I don't mean to be rude or anything… but… is there any particular reason why you asked me to come here tonight?"

"She's got a good point," Miroku said, startling them all. "We've been ungracious!" He took Kagome's hand again and pulled her inside. "Come sit down," he said happily.

Kagome didn't trust the way that this guy was smiling at her, neither it appeared, did Inuyasha. He leapt between them and snarled, "She'll sit over here."

Kagome couldn't help but notice the disappointed look on Miroku's face, but was glad that Inuyasha brought her to sight between himself and Rin as far as possible from him.

"Well, now that we got the sitting arrangements," Sesshomaru said coldly. "Can someone hurry up and tell her why we bothered to bring her here?"

"Alright," Koga said in a bored tone, "Keep your hair on."

"Yes, Kagome, now that you're finally here, I think you need to know…" Miroku said, the smile fading from his face, replaced a moment later by a look of complete seriousness. "The truth of where we came from and how we came to be here."

**(Sorry for taking so long. I've been having a lot of trouble with writer's block on this story. And yes, I did make Kirara as one of the vampires. I think that it would be nice to hear her talking once in awhile. I don't know when the next chapter will be going up… as soon as it's done I guess. Again, sorry about the wait, and please enjoy.)**


	21. Dark Jewel

_**Chapter Nineteen: Dark Jewel**___

"So…" Kagome began slowly, "I take it that you guys weren't always vampires?"

"No," Miroku sighed. "All of us…" he gestured to everyone else in the room. "We were all once humans like you."

"I wouldn't say that," Sesshomaru muttered coldly from his corner.

"Oh, just ignore him," Kirara said rolling her eyes. "He's just grumpier than most vampires."

"Anyway," Miroku snarled at them. "We were all born as humans but ended up forced to live with this cursed."

"What curse?" Kagome asked, feeling stupid.

"The curse of being a vampire!" Rin said obviously. "We've all been cursed like this for nearly 500 years!"

"500 YEARS!" Kagome yelled in disbelief. "You mean that you've all been vampires for the last 500 years? How have you all not gone crazy?"

"Oh, believe me hon," Koga said with smile. "There were plenty of times when we all nearly did. Inuyasha most of all. One of the reasons why we were so surprised to hear that he attached himself to a human." He then looked up at said vampire and told him in a loud voice, "I never knew that you had such good taste in girls, Inuyasha."

Kagome felt herself go red while Inuyasha opened his mouth, and Kagome knew him well enough by now that he was ready to call him something horrible, but then Kohaku interrupted.

"Ok, I think we get it," he said before looking back to Miroku. "You were saying Miroku?"

"Huh?" Miroku asked confused. "Oh, right. Our tragic story. Let's see… where was I?" he thought it all over, trying to gather his train of thought. "That's right! Anyway as I was saying, we've all been cursed like this for the last 5 centuries. We were all born and living in Feudal Japan when it happened."

The others in the room relaxed and either leaned up against the walls or lay down on the floor, looking bored. They all knew this story of course so they really weren't paying too much attention. But Kagome was listening with rapid attention, ready to know everything that they had to tell her.

Miroku gave her a dramatic wait before he cleared his throat and went on, "I guess… it all started off with a vampire… a terrible monster named Naraku."

"Naraku?" Kagome repeated.

"Yes," Miroku said, and his expression darkened greatly. "He was the one that cursed as all to this vampire state. He was the one who took everything away from us. Our homes, friends, family, our futures, dreams… and even our humanity.

Kagome gulped. She didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Our story begins back 500 years ago," Miroku said. "I was a humble monk at the time."

"Humble?" Sango repeated skeptically. "You were anything but humble."

He coughed slightly before saying, "Anyway, I was a traveling monk when I became cursed."

"Don't you mean a traveling pervert?" Inuyasha offered helpfully.

"And a traveling lecher?" Sango added innocently.

Miroku gave the both nasty looks, "How rude of you! Do I shoot you both down every chance I get?"

"You had it coming," Sango said turning her nose up at him as if disgusted by him.

"You wound me deeply my dear Sango…"

"Can't you lovebirds get the story over and done with?" called Sesshomaru from the corner. Kagome privately agreed. Not that she didn't enjoy watching Miroku and Sango go at it like an old married couple, she wanted to get to the good stuff.

"You don't need to shout," Miroku said before turning back to Kagome. "Where was I? Oh, yes… I was a monk at the time and my dear Sango here," he gestured to her, who gave him an appalled look when he used the word _'dear'_.

"I'm not your dear anything! How many times to I have to tell you?" but Miroku went on recklessly, "Worked as a Vampire Slayer for her village, and I guess it's her village is where it all started."

"Vampire Slayer?" Kagome repeated stunned. She looked at the teenage vampire and asked, "You killed vampires for a living?"

Sango laughed bitterly, "Yeah. Ironic isn't it? The vampire killer has become the vampire. But we're getting ahead of ourselves, though. The story starts centeries before I was even born."

"What…?" Kagome began.

"It all has to do with the Shikon no Tama," Miroku said sadly.

"I repeat," Kagome said starting to feel dumber with every minute, "What?"

"The Sacred Jewel," Koga said with a wistful look on his face. "The Jewel of Four Souls. And probably the most powerful object that's ever been created. That is what we've been looking for, for the last half a millennia."

"But what can it do?" Kagome asked, not understanding what the big deal was.

"We keep get ahead of ourselves," Miroku said annoyed. "Let me tell the story."

"Well, start talking already!" Ayame said as Rin and Kohaku both began to giggle. Kagome couldn't help but laugh with them. Are these guys really vampires? She really needed to see some knew horror films.

Miroku cleared his throat once again before he turned back to Kagome and said in a loud voice which would be sure to drown out everyone else should they interrupt again.

"The Sacred Jewel is a small jewel that has the power to grant every wish that you want," he said simply. Kagome's eyes widened as she thought of that. A jewel that will grant your wish? If she had that then the first thing that she would wish for would be for her to pass her math tests. But then Miroku said something that took away her desire for the jewel.

"But here's the deal is that it doesn't completely grant your wishes," he said sadly. "It grants it only to a certain degree but it never ends well. You see the jewel is a cursed item and whoever makes a wish on it suffers great misfortune. Usually death."

Kagome gave a disgusted look. "Then why would anyone look for it?"

"Because of the power the jewel has," Miroku answered her. "A single shard of the jewel can give humans superhuman powers and it corrupts their minds. It's not something that you can help basically."

"So in other words," Kagome said slowly, "You become addicted to it?"

"It becomes nothing more or less than an obsession," Sango said sadly.

"But where did it come from?" Kagome couldn't help but ask.

"About a 1000 years ago there lived a powerful woman by the name of Midoriko," he said slowly. "She was a priestess and was also the one who created the jewel by accident."

"How can you create a jewel by accident?"

"Well you see, she was a priestess and I guess the very first vampire hunter. She was well known for her ability to purify and return a vampire to their original human form. In other words, when she went up against a vampire, she could purify them and leave nothing but the human left. It was because of this, however, that her fate was sealed."

"That sounds cheery," Kagome whispered.

Miroku gave her a sad smile, "In her final battle, Midoriko was ambushed by an army of vampires and the battle between them had lasted for 7 days and nights until the jewel was finally created. You see the lead vampire was once a human man who had secretly desired Midoriko but she didn't return his feelings. So he decided that if he couldn't have her then no other man would."

"Well, he sure doesn't get my vote as boyfriend of the year," Kagome said indigently. Really if this guy loved her so much, then he would've wanted to see her happy. Just what is it with these kinds of guys?

"No, he doesn't," Koga said. "But I on the other hand will be more than happy to… OUCH!"

Ayame had pinched him hard, "Koga, you're my boyfriend, soon-to-be-husband so…"

"How many times do I have to remind you?" Koga yelled at her, "I'm not getting married!"

"But once we become human again, you're going to have a lot of free time!"

"I don't care, I'm planning on staying single…"

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked timidly. They both looked up at her in surprise, as if they forgot that they weren't alone. "But what do you mean when you become human again?"

"I was saving that for the last part," Miroku said with a glare at the two lovebirds who blushed.

"As I was saying, after fighting with the demons for over a week, the man who had claimed to love her had finally managed to sink his fangs into Midoriko. With her final ounce of energy, she reached deep into her own body for strength and seized both hers and the vampire's souls which took both of lives in the process. But somehow, instead of killing them, both of their souls merged together to create the Shikon no Tama."

Kagome felt her jaw drop. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," Inuyasha said sourly. "And with her gone, the vampires just came waltzing in."

"After Midoriko had created the jewel," Sango went on in a grim tone, "The people of my village had took up the job of vampire killing in her place and we have done it well for many centuries."

"But what happened to the jewel?" Kagome asked her.

"Well that's the strange part," Miroku answered. "No one knows. It just disappeared."

"After its creation," Kohaku finally spoke up, "It passed through the hands of many vampires and humans. At least until it finally came back to our village 500 years later."

"Your village?" Kagome asked.

"Oh," Kohaku said quickly, "Me and Sango are siblings, and Kirara," he gestured to the girl who smiled, "Worked alongside our father. So I was also learning to become a slayer myself."

Blinking in surprise, Kagome looked from Sango to Kohaku and back again. Sango… she could imagine had once been a slayer. She was strong and looked like an ancient warrior and Kirara, looked like a giant wildcat that could tear you apart… but Kohaku? She couldn't see how such a sweet looking boy could be a fighter.

Sango must've guessed what she was thinking because she said, "Kohaku was still just an apprentice in those days. He didn't have much experience when it happened."

"When what happened?" she was sounding real stupid now.

"The jewel had come back to our village," Kirara told her miserably. "It had come out a vampire that Sango's and Kohaku's grandfather had killed but it was so corrupted that we slayers didn't have what it took to purify it."

"And so they found, K-Kikyo," Inuyasha said. Kagome couldn't help but notice he said that name as if it physically hurt him. But she couldn't see why. "When the slayers heard of her, they entrusted the jewel to her to purify and guard."

"Kikyo was a priestess then I'm guessing?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said sadly. "I knew her… for a short time."

Kagome blinked. It was so hard to believe that these people knew someone from so long ago. And… was it possible that Inuyasha and Kikyo had something going on? Just a little bit?

"We were all still humans," Kirara told her. "Until he came into our lives."

"Naraku…" Koga went on for her. "He's the worst kind of vampire that ever lived. Hiss dream is to find the jewel and use it to overpower all the vampires and force them to become a part of his army."

"He sure sounds pleasant," Kagome said darkly.

"Oh, you couldn't find a nicer guy," Ayame said sarcastically. "He's the one that ruined all of our lives."

"He attacked the village where we lived," Sango told her. "Looking for the jewel, but when he saw that we didn't have it any longer, he demanded that we tell him who it was who did."

"But the leader of our village, our father, refused to tell him anything" Kohaku said with a hint of pride.

"So Naraku took his revenge out on us," Sango said with anger in her eyes. "To get back at our father for not telling him what he wanted, he bit me and Kohaku… and… well… you know."

Kagome gasped in horror, "Why that…"

"I know," Sango said nodding. "Once dad found out what we had become, he couldn't bear to order our people to kill us. So he told me to take Kohaku and run. Run as far away as humanly possible from home. And if we ever came back then he would have had no choice but kill us."

"How can a father say that to his own children?" Kagome yelled out. Really, even if she was a vampire, she knew that her parents never would have said something like that to her.

"He had no choice," Kohaku said, looking like he would cry. "He was supposed to kill any vampire. He was supposed to slay us the moment that we were bitten, but he helped us to escape and even covered for us until he knew that we were far away from the village."

"That was when I met them," Miroku explained. "Naraku was responsible for the deaths of my father and grandfather so it was my family's mission to kill him. But I underestimated him and got bit as he left me for dead. When I came too…" he shrugged. "There wasn't anything I could do. I decided to use this terrible curse as a way to fight and kill Naraku. Once he was dead, then I would worry what to do. But one day, I find myself in the company of a young vampire and his beautiful sister so I just…"

Sango slapped him. "Watch it," as she looked down at his hand who, Kagome just realized was creeping where a man's hand shouldn't. He deserved that slap. "We may be friends," Sango said, moving a little farther away from him. But even I can lose my patience."

Miroku looked hurt, "Friends? Just _friends_?"

Kagome smirked at the two of them before asking Kirara, "What about you though?"

The smile faded from Kirara's face. "I didn't become a vampire until later. I finally picked a fight with another weak vampire and I got cocky. This is my punishment. It was less than a year after my friends were cursed. I rather not go into details to what happened right now if you don't mind."

Just as Kagome nodded, Inuyasha spoke up, "Somehow after he had bit the slayers he discovered that Kikyo was the one who had the jewel so he came after her and killed her. But—but just when she died…" he gulped as if he had just had a bad thought, "The jewel disappeared. We think that she made some kind of wish on the jewel and it's now hidden somewhere safe. Where it is… no one can say. All we know is that it's still in this world."

"But what does this have to do with me?" Kagome asked them. "I don't get it."

"We think that you can help us, Kagome," Miroku stated slowly and clearly. "We all have a private and very personal story before and after we became vampires. We can't tell you them all right now because it could take us days to get through them all. But we told you the basic idea. We believe that you can help us find the jewel. If we can find it, then not only can we defeat Naraku, but we can become humans again."

"But how?"

"You see," Ayame explained. "There are a grand total of 61 moons in the solar system. And once every 70 years they become full on the same day."

"But only once every 500 years do they all eclipse at the same time," Miroku stated. "We have discovered that if we used a priestess to make a wish on the jewel that one night, then the jewel's power will be broken."

"And if that wish is for us to be humans again," Rin said happily, "Then it should come true without us being cursed by the jewel because it won't exist anymore."

"That's great," Kagome said happy for them, still not understanding where she came in. "But why is that one night so important?"

"Because the eclipse of the moon is when we vampires become weakest," Miroku told her. "For that one night, we become no more powerful than mortals, which is our one and only chance to use the jewel. And the irony is that the jewel's power is strongest on a moonless night. So if all the moons are eclipsed then I can't even begin to imagine the kind of power it will have. So on that night, we vampires will be at our weakest, and the jewel will be at its strongest! Which is the only chance we'll have to break this curse at last; I know that this is complicated, but it's the only hope we have."

"So you see," Inuyasha said, "We think that you can help us before the eclipse arrives. We find a priestess, have her make the wish, and the jewel will be gone and we can finally be free."

"But even if you use the jewel to become human again," Kagome said, spotting the flaw in this plan, "Then all Naraku has to do is bite you all again and then you'll all be back were you started!"

"That's why we have to kill him first," Koga growled. "Everyone here has a grudge against that bastard and we all want a piece of him."

Everyone, even Sesshomaru who was still sulking in the corner nodded.

"If we have the jewel then we can use it to force himself out of hiding and finally do away with him," Inuyasha growled, sounding much like the dog that matched his cute ears. "And then once he's dead, we can make the wish on the night of the eclipse."

"When is the eclipse?" Kagome asked him, fearing the answer.

"In a few months time," answered Ayame.

"Wow, that's ironic," Kagome said taken aback.

"No, actually," Miroku disagreed thoughtfully. "It's a coincidence. It would be ironic if the eclipse was yesterday."

"Ok then," Kagome said sheepishly. "So where's the jewel?"

"We don't know," said Miroku.

"What does it look like?"

"We don't know."

"How big is it?"

"We don't know."

She stared at them all.

"We know that it's not much to go on," began Miroku seeing the look on her face.

"That's not _anything_ to go on!" she shouted looking around at them incredulously. How on earth could they all be taking the risk of eternal damnation so calmly? "So let me see if I got this straight. If you all don't find that damn jewel, kill Naraku, and find a priestess in just a few months, you guys will have to wait around for another 500 years to get another chance at this?"

"Ahhhh, yeah, that's a good way to sum it all up," Rin said brightly.

"It sucks, we know," Sango assured her. "But we don't have much choice. This could be our only chance to finish things. I mean, it's not like we've been slacking off for the last 5 centuries. We've been searching for the rock and Naraku this whole time. But now we're desperate."

"Fine," Kagome said after a few minutes and had calmed down, "But what does any of this have to do with me?"

They all looked at each other a little nervously before Inuyasha said in a surprising soft tone, "Kagome? We think that maybe… just maybe… you are…"

But he never had a chance to finish that sentence. For at that moment the door of the shrine burst open and a tiny ball of red hair came flying in. "INUYASHA!" screamed the little figure and Kagome was astonished to see that it was the cutest thing that she had ever seen. He had bright-red hair along with large blue eyes… and if that wasn't cute enough, he had the ears, feet, and tail of a baby fox! And he was ADORABLE! She wanted to grab him in a hug and squeeze the life out of him.

But before she could act on impulse, Inuyasha shouted out half angry/ half surprised, "SHIPPO! WHAT IS IT NOW?"

"NARAKU!" the fox called Shippo shouted in panic. "He found out that we're meeting here tonight! He's coming!"

**(Yes, this chapter took forever to do! Hope you all enjoyed it and I know that it might be a little confusing but I promise that everyone here will have a chance to tell their stories in later chapters. Just please be patient. And for those of you who have been asking about when and how the prologue happens… trust me… you'll know what it was all about soon.)**


	22. Forbidden Fruit

**(Sorry, sorry for taking so long. I've been working on several other things and I know that this story has been neglected, I'm sorry. I hope that the next chapter won't be as difficult to write. To tell you all, the next chapter we learn about Rin's and Shippo's stories on how they became vampires! Hope you all look forward to it. I promise that it will go up as soon as I finish it. Until then, I hope that you all enjoy this.)**

_**Chapter Twenty: Forbidden Fruit **_

"NARAKU!" the fox called Shippo shouted in panic. "He found out that we're meeting here tonight! He's coming!"

That one word had just acted as a trigger to them all. As soon as Shippo called out Naraku's name they all leapt up, ready to fight. Inuyasha let out a dog-like growl and crouched down, as if he expected this Naraku vampire to pop out and start attacking. Miroku and Koga leapt to the door and stuck their heads out—looking around in the darkness, as if daring someone to appear.

Sango and Kirara both pushed Kagome, Rin, Shippo, and Kohaku back into a corner as they stood in front of them protectively. Ayame hugged Koga's arm and looked eager for a fight. Koga, looking irritated, tried to throw her off as he kept his eyes on graves outside, thinking that the enemy might all be hiding behind them. Sesshomaru didn't react at all; he just stood there in the corner—looking bored. In fact, he actually let out a yawn as he straightened up slightly.

"Shippo?" Miroku asked looking at Shippo who was shaking in the corner, "Are you sure about this? I don't see anything out there!"

"I'm telling you he knows! I was coming over here when I saw Kanna and Kagrua talking about it! They heard about our meeting here tonight and they were planning how best to…" he gulped, "D-deal w-with us!" He trembled as he then hid behind Kagome's legs and started to shake.

Kagome, feeling so bad for him, bent down and pulled her in her arms. "You're Shippo?" she asked friendly, trying to calm him down as feelings of worry were beginning to sink in. If this crazy, psycho vampire could make a whole coven of vampires shake with fear like this then she knew that she was in big trouble.

"We can't stay here," Miroku whispered to Inuyasha. "They don't know about Kagome yet do they?"

When Inuyasha shook his head, Miroku continued, "Then we need to keep it that way. Listen, you take Kagome home and…"

"You're crazy if you think that I'm going to miss the showdown with Naraku!" he yelled at him so suddenly that Miroku jumped about a foot in the air. "If you think that I'm going to just run off while you're all here fighting the bastard who ruined all our lives, then you've got another thing coming!"

Koga smacked him over the head. "Would you shut up for once mutt? We don't have time to listen to you complain!"

"ME? COMPLAIN? WHY I ATTA…" but before he could finish his threat, Miroku grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and whispered to him. "I know that you aren't happy about this, Inuyasha…" he began.

"You got that right," he interrupted. "And if you think that I'm just going to let you talk me into retreating then…"

"What about Kagome?" he whispered fiercely with his eyes flying to the corner where Kagome sat with Shippo in her arms. He looked back to Inuyasha and went on, "If Naraku finds out about her, she's as good as dead! Or worse… he could end up cursing her like all of us! And I'm sure that you understand that if that happens…"

Inuyasha looked taken aback but he finally got it what the lecher was trying to say, not that he was ever going to admit to it of course.

"Just make it quick then," Miroku begged. "Just drop her off at her house and come back! You'll only be a few minutes if you hurry real fast! We can hold out on our own until you get back. But the more time you waste arguing with us, the less time you have to get Kagome out of danger."

Inuyasha glared at him. If there was one thing that he hated… it was whenever Miroku was right. He spun around and went straight to Kagome and took her hand. "We've got to go!" he almost commanded.

Startled, she let him pull her to her feet without saying anything. She had never seen Inuyasha look so panicked than he did right now. What was he so worried about this time? Is this Naraku really as bad as they said? He pulled her to the door but before he could do anything else, Kirara called out, "No wait Inuyasha!"

"What now?" he barked at her. He wasn't in the mood to hear from her right now. She turned to look at him and said, "Take, Shippo and Rin with you. They're still not ready to fight yet."

Shippo seemed offended at with those words. "What?" he cried and shook his fists from the safety of Kagome's arms. "I'll have you know that I'm a brave warrior and I can take on any vampire out there!"

Ayame went over and patted his head sympathetically. "Yes, we know that. But let's not forget that we need someone here to protect Kagome and Rin while we deal with Naraku."

As Shippo thought this over, Ayame winked at Kagome—who understood. She nodded with a smile and said to the little boy, "That's right, Shippo. I'm going to be needing a strong vampire to keep me \ from getting hurt."

After a few seconds, he grinned cutely at her as Rin then came running up and took Kagome's hand. "Ok," she cried cheerfully. "Looks like we're going to be spending the night with you until it's all over."

"Good, yeah, let's get this over with!" Inuyasha yelled impatiently as, quick as a flash, picked all three of them up and hoisted them onto his back.

"Yeah!" Rin called happily. "We're going for a ride!"

"Oh, be quiet," Inuyasha groaned. How did he get stuck doing this?

Miroku opened the door to the shrine and went running out. He then called to the others, "Aright! Everyone get ready! I don't sense anyone yet, so you better go now Inuyasha before they get here!"

"Keh," Inuyasha spat, and without wasting another second, took off running, faster than Kagome had ever been before. Everything else had faded away to leave nothing but a world of speed… the wind rushing pass her, her hair becoming tangled and wild—the darkness and the few street lights spinning around her—and the sounds of Rin and Shippo whooping with excitement.

Kagome had to admit that she loved this speed as well. She bent down low, clutching Inuyasha's shoulders and holding on like a monkey as if she did this every night. She didn't have the slightest clue of what was going on, but at the moment, that was quickly driven out of her mind as they ran.

Too soon for her enjoyment, they suddenly stopped. She blinked as her watering eyes looked around her with polite curiosity, and she saw that she was suddenly in her front yard. From the graveyard—to her house in less than 5 minutes… impressive. She looked up at her house to see her open window and the curtains blowing in the cold breeze.

Inuyasha then bent his legs, knowing what he was about to do, Kagome clung on even tighter. He sprang up as if launched as cannon, flew up gracefully and landed on her window sill—before entering her dark room.

As soon as they landed, Shippo and Rin both jumped down and began examining their surroundings.

"Wow, Kagome!" Rin called as she looked around at her stuff. The pink walls (Though it was hard to tell in the dark) the few designer clothes that she left hanging over her bed and on the floor, the desk with all of Kagome's favorite books, the table in the corner filled with knickknacks, jewelry, a CD player and the few CD's that she didn't loan out to her friends.

But the thing that really got Rin's attention was the large teddy bear that was at the foot of her bed. Rin squealed in delight before running over to it and hugging to her like a best friend. Shippo began looking at the little planet mobile that was dangling from the ceiling and was trying hard to jump up and touch it.

"Kagome!" he called out, "I can't reach it!"

"Shhhh!" Kagome shushed them with her finger to her lips with an uneasy eye on the door. "We need to be quiet," she whispered. "My mom, brother, and grandpa are asleep."

"Oh, really?" Rin said smiling brightly. "I wanna go meet them!"

"Me too!" Shippo actually started to the door, and Kagome had to run to cut him off.

"No," she begged. "No, please. They can't know that you're all here! They don't know anything about any vampires and…"

"You mean you haven't told them about us?" Shippo cried out a little too loudly. Kagome bent down and covered his mouth. "Shhhh!" she said again. "Please. I promise to introduce you to them tomorrow. But you have to be quiet now because they're all sleeping. Waking them up right now would not be a good thing." She picked up Shippo and carried him to the bed and set him beside Rin, who was looking a little disgruntled.

"Besides," she said quietly as she reached down her mobile for Shippo to play with. "I only met you both tonight, so it's not like I could've told them about you before now could I? Now, if you both promise to be quiet for the rest of the night, I'll take you to meet the rest of my family tomorrow, deal?"

"Ok," they both sighed for a brief moment before they went back to playing with the toys. Sighing in relief she looked up at the window, expecting to see that Inuyasha was already gone. But to her surprise, she saw him looking out at the darkened grounds before shutting the window tightly.

"Inuyasha?" she asked him. "What are you still doing here?"

"Oh, sorry," he snarled suddenly angry. "I just took you home! Don't mind me!"

"No, no, no," she said quickly running to him. "I didn't mean that! It's just that you were so keen to get back that I thought that you already left."

"I can't just yet," he whispered to her as he pulled the curtains shut. "We might've been followed here. I don't see anyone yet. But I don't think it's safe for me to leave out the window." He turned to look at her and asked, "You have a lower window at the back I can leave through right?"

Kagome nodded as she crept to the door and looked out at the dark hallway. She could see the room to her mother and grandfather were closed, while Sota's was open by the tiniest crack. Since she couldn't hear anything except the sound of snoring, there were no other noises coming any of the other rooms. She looked behind her, and jumped to see him standing so close to her—looking impatient.

"What is it?" he hissed darkly.

"N-nothing," she told him as she looked back to the kids who were now playing a game together. "I'll be back in a second," she told them. "I'm just taking Inuyasha to another window ok?"

They nodded, not paying much attention to them as Rin started to sing a song, one of her own works obviously, before Kagome showed Inuyasha through her dark house. She could hear him growl slightly behind her as she led him down the stairs and into her pitch dark living room. "Here," she whispered, showing him a window right above the squashy couch that showed the backyard.

"This should get you out," she felt her way to the sofa and sitting down as she tried to find the latches to open it.

She then felt Inuyasha's strong hands on her own. "Thanks. I can handle it from here. Even in this darkness, Kagome could see his golden eyes shining at her as they looked at each other. She then felt his hot breath on her face and knew that he was leaning in and she was raising her head to him. But before his lips met with hers, he quickly pulled away from her. "I have to go," Inuyasha told her, leaning over the window and opening it. "There is no way that I'm going to be missing this fight."

"Wait," Kagome whispered to him.

Inuyasha turned around back at her.

"Will I see you again?" Kagome asked worriedly.

Inuyasha nodded with a confident grin that she knew he was giving her. "After I beat Naraku, I'll be back. Sorry about making you babysit those two little demons." He looked up at the ceiling before explaining, "At least Kohaku can hold his own in a fight. But those two are completely hopeless."

"It's ok," she told him, holding onto his sleeve, not wanting to let go. "I'm just worried about you." And then thinking about Sango and the other vampires quickly added, "You and the others. I wish that I could help you somehow. But just please promise me that you'll all be careful."

"Keh," he snorted. "Please, I'm a vampire. You're a human. You wouldn't have lasted two minutes out there."

Kagome gave him a reproachful look that she knew he could see. "I know that you can take care of yourself," she told him. "But I can't help but worry. I don't want anything to happen to you, ok?"

She felt his clawed hand take her own fragile one and held it as she felt his breath on her face again. "I'll be fine," he repeated in a softer voice than normal. She looked at him questioningly, and she felt him touch her cheek lightly. "It's you that you need to look after."

She licked her lips nervously as she leaned her head into the touch of his hand, wondering what to do next. She wanted to show him just how scared she was for him, so she reached up and gently brushed her lips over his in a chaste kiss—hoping that he would understand. Apparently, he did… but it wasn't enough for him.

When she made to pull away from him, he moved forward, his hands wrapping around her slim frame and pulling her closer to him. She let out an intake of breath as he repositioned her so she was sitting across on his lap, before he wrapped one arm around her waist, and the other underneath her legs and actually picking her up.

"What are you…?" she began in a loud whisper, before he brought his lips to hers in the most passionate kiss that he had given her yet.

Her mind went completely blank at this moment as he teased her bottom lip with his teeth. He nipped softly, not hard enough for his fangs to pierce her, but hard enough that and she had gasped in surprise, allowing his tongue to slip inside to deepen the kiss. His held her up in his arms bridal style as he continued to kiss eagerly, and her arms moved up to encircle his neck. One of her hands sought out his cute little dog ear and started to rub it, losing herself in the kiss.

But with all good things, they never last.

He finally pulled his head away from her and both of them were panting. She was still wrapped around him, and his arms still held her captive. "I have to go," he repeated softly, breaking the silence, she nodded silently in understanding. Neither moved for a moment as they both stared into each other's captivating eyes. Then he gently laid her back down onto the sofa as she unwound her hands from his neck.

As she felt his hands leave her, she saw it… for that tiniest second she could've sworn that she saw his eyes glow a bright, fire engine red. But when she blinked, she could only see gold shining from the darkness again. Before she could wrap her mind around it, Inuyasha jumped out the window and the cold wind was blowing through her.

Kagome went over to her window and looked out to see him run through the yard before disappearing right into the shadows. When he was gone, all Kagome could do was reach up and feel her sore lips. Her limbs felt weak, and her body was feeling hot as though her vein's were flooded with liquid fire.

She ran her fingers over her lips softly, that had been the best kiss she had ever had she admitted to herself with a small smile… of course, she had only ever kissed Inuyasha. So maybe she should say, the best kiss that Inuyasha had given her… yet.

She walked back up her stairs in a slight daze._ 'What was that just now? Why on earth was she feeling like this? Just what was that vampire doing to her? And what just happened to his eyes?' _Kagome thought strangely.

Never in a million years, would she have guessed that she would meet a vampire. A cynical, sarcastic, over-confident, egoistical and may she add proud vampire… and yet at the same time… he was kind, caring, soft, handsome as a god… and speaking of god, God can he kiss good… no, no, what was she thinking?

She never had a boyfriend, was never given a kiss until she met him. She never gave it much thought about it before—that is until he came into her life. What was she supposed to do? She never knew that she was capable of feeling this way. When he kissed her just now… oh, it felt so right! It no longer mattered to her that she could taste blood on his lips… she wished that he was here so that she could kiss him again… she had to pinch herself hard to snap her out of it. Oh what was the matter with her?

She's a human… he's a vampire. They could never be together. Unless…

She stopped on the top step and thought over what she learned tonight. This sacred, something-or-other jewel was the key. If they could find it and use it by the time the eclipse came, then they could remove this curse.

She would talk to the kids upstairs and get the whole story from them. So with that thought, she went back to her room to where Rin and Shippo were both still playing on her bed. But as she approached them, she was no longer thinking about the jewel, the eclipse, or even the battle of vampires that was taking place probably at this second.

No, she was just thinking of the man or to be more specific, vampire, who did the thing no human boy could ever do, and stolen her heart.

She felt even more sympathy for Edward and Bella… she now knew how they must've felt when they were separated by a curse and yet longed to be together. And for some reason, she suddenly felt like she and Inuyasha were Adam and Eve… about to be cursed for being tempted by a forbidden fruit.


	23. Rin and Shippo's Story

_**Chapter Twenty-one: Rin and Shippo's Story**_

Bracing herself for the worse, Kagome walked into her room to see the two kids were now tossing the teddy bear back and forth like a ball, both of them laughing as he flew through the air.

"Ok," Kagome said sternly, as if she was their mother, as she went over and climbed onto the bed with them. "Now that things had settled down a bit, maybe you can both tell me a little more to what's going on here?"

"What do you want to know?" Rin asked brightly as she hugged the teddy bear.

Kagome stared at her before she rolled her eyes and said in as calmly as she could, "Just what is going on? I mean, what does any of this have to do with me? Please, I really want some answers to why you need me."

"We told you," Shippo said slowly as if she thought that Kagome wasn't listening. "We think that you can help us with this curse!"

"Yeah," Rin said smiling and reaching over for a quick hug. "All we have to do is find the jewel, defeat Naraku, and wish on the night eclipse so that we can all be human again and live out the rest of our lives in peace! Easy right?"

This wasn't working. So instead, Kagome took several deep breaths and said as coolly as she could, "Ok, why don't you both just tell me about yourselves? I mean, how long have you both been vampires? And how do you think I can help you become human again? I mean, I want to help, but I need to know how to do it first don't I?"

"Fair enough," Rin said thinking it over. "Well, my name is Rin, and I was born into a family this bbbbbbbbbiiiiiiiiggggggggg!" she held open her arms as wide as she could as if to prove her point. "Mom and Dad didn't have a lot of money, but they loved me and all my brothers! I was the youngest so I often got away with a lot."

She smiled at the memories at least until the smile slowly faded and she became sad. Kagome almost didn't recognize her with that heartrending look on her face. She looked so heart-breakingly depressed that Kagome wanted to hug her. "At least until the day the bandits came," she whispered.

"Bandits?" Kagome asked quietly pulling Rin up close to her. "What bandits? What are you talking about?"

Rin sniffled and Shippo also reached over to take her hand. "That was the day that I became a vampire," Rin whispered so quietly that Kagome almost missed it. "I was outside picking flowers for mother when they came."

Her sweet expression turned cold, "Bandits attacked my village. They burned everything to the ground. Smoke filled the air, and there was so much blood splattered on the ground as the houses all burned…"

She couldn't finish and started to cry. Kagome barely noticed that vampires shouldn't be able to cry as she leapt up and pulled a few tissues from her desk and handed them to her.

"Oh, Rin," she said sadly, "I'm so sorry."

Rin nodded, "My papa and brothers went out to fight them off… but there was too many of them and they were unarmed. Mom told me to run for the forest and not to come out until they went to get me. I did what she said. I ran as fast as I could… but the bandits all had horses. They didn't want any survivors… they came after me and…"

She drew a shuddering gasp and began to let the tears flow. Not knowing what else to do, she pulled the little girl into her arms and held her tightly as Shippo whispered words of comfort. Kagome was disgusted that anyone could be so heartless. How could anyone be so cruel as to actually go after a little girl and kill her in cold blood?

After a few minutes, Rin had calmed down enough to go on. "I was lying there on the ground just bleeding to death when suddenly Lord Sesshomaru appeared and saved me."

"Saved you?" Kagome asked confused. "What do you—oh," she said answering her own question.

"Yeah," Rin nodded as she put her hand up to her neck to the spot where she was sure to have been bitten. "It hurt a lot at first, but suddenly… I came back. I've been with Lord Sesshomaru ever since."

"And…" Kagome began, needing to know the answer, "Are you happy?"

Rin thought that over for a minute before saying, "I'm… happy I guess. I mean, I'm tired of being a little kid. I want to grow up someday."

"Yeah," Kagome chuckled lightly. "I can see how being stuck as a little kid for 500 years could drive you crazy."

"Tell me about," Shippo pouted as he folded his arms grumpily. "I'm tired of living like this. We can't even go outside on a sunny day without being in pain. I want to go out every day and have friends, and eat normal food like candy, and then drive a car someday! I want to just hurry up and move on with my life already!"

"I hope you do too, Shippo," Kagome said, though she privately thought that it was for the best that the little boy couldn't drive just yet. "But what's your story?" Kagome asked, pointing to the cute fox ears, feet, and tail. "Last I checked, vampires didn't have fox tails."

"I know," Shippo said with a nod. "And they don't have dog ears either. Some of us were demons before we became vampires."

Kagome stared at them and choked on her own words, "You mean… you were a _demon_? Like the kind from fairy tales that eat everyone?"

"_Was_ a demon," Shippo replied. "There were demons who lived 500 years ago… but almost all of them died out by now. Me, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Koga, Kirara, and Ayame were all demons… well, Inuyasha was only half, so that doesn't really count."

"Ok," Kagome said quickly, "You've lost me. So it's not bad enough that you guys are vampires, but demons as well?"

Shippo looked at her sternly and said firmly, "Not all demons are bad! A lot of us just wanted to be left alone and live in peace."

"Ok…" Kagome said thinking it over. "That's good to know… but what happened to you?"

Shippo sighed miserably as he sat back on the bed. "My mom died when I was still little…"

"Oh," Kagome said sadly and pulled him into a hug.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" he called out as he wiggled in her arms. "I don't need a hug! I'm a full-fledge vampire! I don't need someone to hold me like that!"

"Sure," Rin said as she poked him softly and he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Anyway," Shippo answered huffily as he straightened his tiny vest and said in a grown-up voice. "I lived with my mom and dad in the middle of the forest until mom died. After that I lived with dad and we were very happy. We used to play games all the time, and he taught me how to do fox magic."

"Fox magic?" Kagome repeated. "What's that?"

"The art of illusion," he said proudly. He then reached into his pocket to pull out some leaves. Sticking his tongue out in concentration, he through the leaves like they were a deck of cards and with small 'popping' noises a little army of clone Shippos were all running around with big grins on their faces.

Kagome's jaw dropped as she watched all the little fake Shippo's all line up and waved up at her before they vanished in more puffs of pink smoke. Kagome's jaw was still open as she looked over at the real Shippo and said, "You mean to tell me that was an illusion? That looked so real that I…"

Shippo grinned proudly as Rin clapped her hands together. "Nice one, Shippo!"

"Yep!" he jumped off the bed and began to pace the room as if he was the king in his throne room. "I know all kinds of tricks! Dad taught me everything I know about Fox Magic." He smiled for a long time, until a very ugly look came over his face. "At least until they came into the picture and ruined everything."

"Who?" Kagome had to ask as Rin looked sad.

"I went out to get some acorns…" he explained, and Kagome could see that he was struggling to continue. She wanted to pick him up and hug him tightly… but instead, she just put a comforting hand on his trembling shoulder and Shippo went on in a brave tone. "When I got back, two vampires that were called the Thunder Brothers were there…"

He sniffled. "And dad was…"

Kagome couldn't help it anymore. She quickly pulled him and Rin into tight hugs again and held them both as they both looked miserable. She was surprised, but glad that neither of them seemed to want to pull away this time.

What was wrong with the world? Was earth really such a terrible place 500 years ago? Did no one care about how many innocent lives were ruined? Why couldn't they just take what they wanted and just leave everyone alone? They all sat like that for some time until Shippo got hold of himself and jumped down from her arms.

"Anyway, when I saw what they did to father, I turned and ran away. But then they came after me and bit me by accident," Shippo continued, not looking at her.

"If you don't mind me asking," Kagome asked timidly, "What do you mean by _accident_?"

"Well," Shippo went on rubbing his eyes. "When they caught me, I tried to bite one of them to let me go, but it got him angry and he bit me back to show me how a real bite's supposed to be. But as he and his brother started arguing, I was able to escape. By next morning, I was a vampire. After a few days on my own, I met up with Koga and Ayame. I stayed with them until I met up with Inuyasha, and the rest of the group."

"And those are our stories," Rin finished, "We've all met up with each other and once we all learned about the jewel we knew that it was the only hope we had left… and ever since, we've been looking for the jewel. Trying to find it before the next eclipse."

"Inuyasha was the one who told us about the jewel and now our time's almost up," Shippo finished on a depressing note.

"And you think that I can help you find it?" Kagome asked with a whisper.

"Yep," Rin said smiling brightly and hugging her close again. "And I know that you will!"

"But how?" Kagome gasped anxiously. "I don't know how to help you! I know that you have to find the jewel before the day of eclipse. But you have to destroy Naraku before then and… what can I do to help you? What makes you think that I can…"

"Because you're special," Rin interrupted with a smile before she yawned tiredly like she was getting ready for bed. "You aren't like any other human."

"What do you mean I'm not…?"

"You have powers that can help us find the jewel," Shippo interrupted. "We're not exactly what they are, but we think that you can help us. We have to wait until everyone else comes back tomorrow so that they can explain. I think that they can do a better job than we can."

Not liking this answer, but also feeling tired of everything that's been going on tonight, she decided that it would just be for the best if she just went to sleep and hope that she would get some answers in the morning. How she was going to explain to her family why they're two vampires in her bed with her, she didn't know what to say.

But too tired to think anymore about she nodded before she got under the covers, a kid on either side of her. They both yawned and curled up next to her and almost instantly fell asleep. She smiled at their peaceful expressions as soon as they nodded off. She then looked up at her window, just able to see the moon through the crack in curtains.

'_The moon is so beautiful,'_ she sighed to herself. Ever since she met Inuyasha, an indescribable feeling has taken over her body. In fact, the last few days with her new friends were probably the best since she could remember.

"Inuyasha," she sighed gazing at the stars before she dozed off.

She had another dream… about him…

_For some reason she was back in her Halloween costume and was looking around her into the misty night; but she didn't see anything but pure darkness surrounding her. She was standing in the pagoda staring around into the white mist… it must've been at least past midnight judging from the darkness alone. She didn't know or care, all she knew was that she was waiting for someone…_

_She looked around some more spinning… searching… and then she saw something red and glowing coming towards her. She squinted and it becomes a bit clearer to her. The person with the piercing crimson eyes came closer with each step._

_Inuyasha had emerged from the darkness, his eyes a crimson red… like wet blood on a red, velvet carpet. She smiled as she ran towards him and he held up his arms… waiting for her._

"_Don't be scared. I won't ever let anything harm you," he whispered in her ear in a soothing voice. The voice brought her comfort… peace. _

_"I trust you," she whispered back, closing her eyes, enjoying the feel of his warm embrace shielding her from the cold. She felt so peaceful, so serene and wondered wildly how she had ever lived without this feeling. She gasped as he put his hand to her cheek, caressing the side of her face. She looked into his piercing gaze, drowning in him… _

_"Inuyasha…" she whispered, clutching him close to her. "I'm lost without you…"_

_He smiled, showing her his pointed fangs before kissing her lips softly. Her hands flew to his face and felt every inch of skin she could as he growled into her mouth, and she opened up to him. That was when the battle for dominance began—their tongues battling back and forth, exploring the cavern's of the others mouth and wrestling against the other—as their owners held each other in that embrace._

Kagome smiled in her sleep… glad that no one else could see what she was seeing…

**(Sorry, sorry, sorry. I know that I've been neglecting this story, but I haven't abandoned it. I promised myself that I would finish this story and I will. Also, I wish to point out that in the dream… they were just kissing… there was no further lemon than that. Hope you enjoyed it… next chapter… we find out more about Kagome's role in this vampire war.)**


	24. Bad Start to the Day

_**Chapter Twenty-two: Bad Start to the Day **_

Kagome rolled over in her bed, the sheets becoming tangled in her legs and soaked with sweat. She whimpered, but didn't wake up from her deep sleep.

_In her dream, there was a man, only she couldn't see his face, in fact, she couldn't see him at all. She could only feel his presence, and the sensation caused fear to rise like bile in her throat. She was afraid, yet strangely drawn to him. There was sensuality about his very presence that she couldn't deny._

She rolled over, her blankets falling to the floor in a quiet 'plop' of fabric. She clenched her sheets tightly in her fists, and cried out, but still did not wake up as she saw what was coming next.

_He was calling to her, asking her to come to him, but everything was covered in a thick mist all around her, and so she didn't know which way to go, only that she needed to get as far away from wherever she was. She turned and turned, the mists getting redder as a moon rose before her, glowing with an unearthly sheen._

_But the moon was black… it was an eclipse. _

_At that moment, she saw an outline, coming towards her through the mist. And suddenly he was standing before her, and his face, extremely handsome in the mist, looked red as he leaned to her, his lips inches from her own. His silver hair billowed behind him in silky waves… almost fluttering like a bird's wing in the breeze while his blood-red eyes burned like embers into hers._

_She felt an intense thrill of fear knife through her heart, but she was frozen to the spot and couldn't move. She shut her eyes as he pressed his lips to hers in soft kiss…_

_It was like she could hear his thoughts, and they mesmerized her, and they were what held her to the spot. She then felt his clawed hands grab hold of her upper arms and held her where she stood—her eyes snapped open again and she stared in horror as he opened his mouth to reveal two pointed fangs and leaned down towards her neck…_

_She fought, harder and harder, until a scream wrenched itself from her lips and everything went black._

Kagome's eyes snapped open and she sat bolt-upright, gasping for breath as she stared around her room. She blinked several times before she was able to remember where she was and what happened last night. She ran her hand through her slightly damp hair, and her sweaty face as she leaned back onto her pillows—listening to her heart return to its normal pace. What a nightmare… it had started off so sweet and beautiful the night before, but somewhere, it had turned from a wonderful dream into a terrible nightmare. She groaned as she stretched out on her empty bed and… wait a minute! Empty?

She sat bolt-upright once again and stared around her room… she was alone.

Oh, no. Shippo! Rin! What was she going to do? What if they got up and…

Suddenly she heard talking downstairs and she felt her heart sink. She jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. _'Oh, please,'_ she begged. _'Please, please, please, don't be downstairs with the rest of my family. Please, don't be here…' _

You think that she would know better than to hope that luck was on her side. When she sprinted into the kitchen, to her utter horror, she saw the rest of her family sitting at the table with Shippo and Rin.

She felt terror grip her heart and started pulling her hair. _'What are they doing? Why are they talking to them?' _she thought in panic before she gasped and began shaking her head violently, _'No! They're gonna find out that they're vampires!'_

"Oh, you don't say, Rin?" Mom suddenly said and Kagome stared at the calm look on her face. Rin and Shippo were both sitting at the table, their little legs now kicking in mid-air. Shippo, who had one of Kagome's blankets covering everything but his face—which hide his tail, feet, and ears—was building a tower of pancakes, and Rin was talking eagerly to Sota who was laughing at the story she was telling.

"And so there was this field full of white lilies! Kohaku took me there once and it was… oh!" she just noticed Kagome standing there and waved ecstatically. "Kagome!"

"Hello dear," Mom said as she tipped a few slices of sizzling bacon onto Sota's plate while Grandpa took a sip of coffee. "Kagome why didn't you tell us that you were babysitting these two?"

"Yeah," Sota said through a mouthful of toast. "We all came down here to find these guys sitting at the table and said that you were watching them for your friends. I thought that we walked into the wrong kitchen for a minute."

"It's not that I mind at all dear," Mom said brightly as she passed some toast to Shippo, "But I wish you told us about this first."

Shippo just shook his head at the offered toast. "No thank you!" he said happily and went back to building his pancake tower, using syrup to cement them all together.

"Oh," Kagome said, starting to calm down, realizing that they don't know that the kids were vampires yet. "Well, it all happened all of a sudden you see?" Kagome answered truthfully as she slowly came to the table and sat down. "I was talking to some friends last night and they… ah… had a big problem to deal with last second… a-and asked me to watch the kids… you know? It was kinda sudden and…"

To her horror, Rin went on, "Yeah, they're off fighting a hoard of vampires and we're too young to fight and so they asked us to…"

"Yes," Mom laughed, as she passed Kagome a plate of food, who was twitch horribly. "You've been talking about it for awhile. And why are your friends fighting vampires again?"

Kagome looked up startled, Mom knew and she didn't care? She knew her mom had always been strange but the idea that she didn't care that these two were vampires and…

"No, you see we're all vampires too, but there's this big vampire jerk that we've been fighting for 500 years came after us while we were having a meeting. So, we came here so they could fight and not have to worry about us getting hurt. Course, I'm not too worried. We have Lord Sesshomaru on our side and he's going to take them all down!" Shippo answered for her as he finished his tower by toping it with a fork.

Kagome glanced up at Mom and her jaw dropped open at mom's smiling face. "That's nice sweetie."

Mom then walked around the table and put bacon on Kagome's plate and whispered, "You have such imaginative friends, Kagome. Honestly," she laughed lightly. "Vampires. I think they might've overloaded too much on Halloween candy and the sugar rush hasn't worn off yet. In fact, they asked me if I could keep the curtains closed because they don't like sunlight."

Kagome blinked several times and stuttered out, "Y-yeah." She sighed with reprieve. Of course, Mom thought that they were only pretending they were vampires. Thank god for that.

"Shippo?" Mom asked as she looked towards Shippo leaning tower of pancakes. "Don't you want to eat?"

"Nope," he answered, making a popping sound with his mouth. "I only drink blood." Hearing that spoken so calmly by a kid was oddly chilling to Kagome.

"Yes," Mom answered with a nod. "Of course, vampires only drink blood. But don't you think that you're going to be a little hungry later?"

"Nope," Rin answered grinning. "We ate a lot last night when Miroku brought a lot of squirrels and…"

"Ok!" Kagome called as she got up and said, "I probably should take you both home right now."

"Now?" Rin asked in disappointment. "But Inuyasha said…"

"He asked me to take care of you last night and I promised to take you both back first thing in the morning," Kagome forced a smile. "So why don't you both come up with me for a minute… I just wanted to tell you two something."

"Ok," Shippo said hopping down from his seat, but to her terror, she could see his tail sticking out from the fabric. Panicking, she quickly grabbed them both and took them upstairs so fast that she was a blur—hoping that her family didn't notice anything strange. Once they were safely in her room she turned to them and demanded, "What on earth were you two thinking?"

They both looked confused so Rin asked, "What are you talking about?"

"You going downstairs like that?" Kagome said frustrated. "It's hard enough for me to keep the fact that I'm friends with a coven of vampires a secret from my family, but if you go down there and start talking about it I'm going to be in even more trouble."

"But you said that we can meet your family in the morning," Rin said, her smile fading, and for some reason this only made Kagome feel guilty and she got down to her knees to look them both in the eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said taking several calming breaths. "But you have to understand that my family doesn't know anything about vampires."

"Then we can tell them!" Shippo added, letting his blanket fall to his feet, but before he could go on, Kagome cut him off.

"No! We can't do that!" she almost yelled. "My family doesn't know that I'm friends with vampires, and if they did, I don't know they would let me help you!"

The both blinked in mystification, clearly not understand to what she was talking about. Thinking fast, Kagome said, "Ok, there are good vampires and bad vampires right?"

They both nodded.

"Well, they might think that you guys are bad, or might become bad later on," Kagome thought up quickly.

"Well that's not fair," Rin said huffily as she folded her arms and pouted.

"Yes," Kagome admitted. "Yes, I know it's not fair, but we have to play this carefully. And…" she suddenly thought up. "But there's another reason. If Naraku ever found out that they're helping you, then he might come after them, right? So it's for the best if they don't know who or what you are. So please, don't tell them anything unless I say it's ok, ok? I mean, I really like you both and I want to help you… and even thought I only met you last night, I want to help you guys out."

They both looked a little disgruntled but nodded in agreement. Just at that moment they heard a knock on the window. They all looked over in the direction. "Huh? Inuyasha is that you?"

"Is it safe to come in?" Inuyasha's voice called out.

"Inuyasha," she sighed in relief as he opened the window and climbed in. As soon as he touched down, she flung her arms around his neck for a brief moment before stepping back to examine him. He seemed to be alright… he had a few dark bruises on his face and hands, and his clothes were torn and dirty… but other than all that there were no signs of him ever being in a fight.

"Inuyasha!" cried Shippo as he bounded forward. "There you are! What happened? Did you beat Naraku? How many did you take down? Who took on the most? Where did…"

"Keh," Inuyasha said focusing on the little kid as Rin also came forward. "Keep talking and I won't tell you anything."

Once he fell quiet, he turned back to Kagome and explained, "Naraku did launch an attack. It was only a few vampires… but we took care of them."

"So Naraku didn't come then?" Rin asked in frustration.

"Keh, 'course not," he grunted. "Coward can never fight his own battles. That's what he does. He takes advance of others to fight for him and if they don't get killed, he kills them off later once he realizes that he doesn't need them anymore."

"What a jerk," Kagome said shaking her head. "But what about the others? Sango, Miroku, Ayame… all of them? Are they all…?"

"Fine, more or less," Inuyasha answered. "A few minor injuries but hey, we've had worse, nothing you need to worry about."

Kagome let out a sigh of relief as Rin tugged on Inuyasha's paint leg and asked, "What happened?"

"I told you didn't I?" he answered annoyed. "Naraku sent a few vampires, hoping to ambush us but we were able to deal with them. We did a thorough check around town, but we couldn't find a trace of him anywhere. He disappeared again."

"Great," Kagome whispered, biting her lip.

Inuyasha looked out the window at the gloomy sky and said, "Hey, do you know where the Shikigami café is?"

"The Shikigami café?" Kagome repeated in bewilderment. "Well, yeah, but what does that have to do with what happened last…"

"Why don't you take the kids and meet us at the café a little later?" Inuyasha interrupted.

"What?" Kagome stuttered in surprise. "You just had to fight for your lives last night and now you want to go out?"

"Why not?" he asked, grinning slightly. "Where's the fun if you've got to hide forever? Besides," he looked back at the dark sky, "It's supposed to be cloudy all day—maybe even snow. It should be good for everyone to get out. And besides, we never had a chance to tell you everything last night before we were interrupted. So all you have to do is get the kids out of the house and come straight to the café in about an hour or two ok? We should be able to finish talking."

Before Kagome could agree, or disagree, he already was out the window and hit the ground running. Coming out of her shocked state, she ran to the window and called out, "INUYASHA! COME BACK HERE!"

But it was too late, he was already out of her sights. Sighing, she turned back to the kids and said, "You know, life used to be so easy before I meet him."

Shippo nodded, "You get used to it," he said as he went back to the door but Kagome beat him to it.

"No," she said quickly, "We have to get to the café today in an hour right?"

"Yeah," Shippo said in confusion. "So let's go."

"Not yet," Kagome told him as she looked down at her wrinkled clothes and said, "Just wait here for a few minutes so I can change."

Kagome rummaged through her messy closet for about 10 minutes until she found something presentable and changed into a pair of practical jeans, a tight t-shirt, and her favorite hoodie before she came back and picked up her purse.

"We going now?" Shippo whined.

"Sorry," she whispered as she covered him with the blanket and picked him up.

"HEY!" he called through the cloth and Kagome said, "Sorry again, but my family doesn't know that you're part fox yet, and it's for the best we keep it that way. Please?"

Shippo finally found a way to free his head from the blanket and looked grumpy as Rin started laughing. Gathering her courage, Kagome went down into the kitchen to see that everyone but Mom—who was clearing the table—was gone. She took a deep breath and asked her, "Ah, Mom?"

"Yes, dear?" she answered as she finished cleaning up. "Oh, Kagome you hardly ate anything and so…"

"No," Kagome said almost too quickly and had to take a few deep breathes before she could force a smile and say, "I'm fine, Mom. In fact, I was wondering if I could borrow the car for a little while? I need to take Shippo and Rin home."

"Already?" Mom asked as she straightened up and glanced at the two kids in disappointment. "I was hoping they could stay for a little longer than that. It's so nice to have little children in the house again."

"What about, Sota?" Kagome asked rolling her eyes.

"HEY!" her brother called from the other room. "I heard that!"

"Sorry, mom," Kagome went. "But I promise they can come again real soon."

'_Hopefully, without telling her they're vampires,'_ she added in a afterthought. "But you see, I just got a call from Inuyasha and…"

But she wished she said any other name but his because Mom's eyes glowed and she went for the car keys in her pocket. "Of course dear," she said happily. "Inuyasha… that handsome young man who walked you home the other day?"

Kagome's face glowed red as Rin and Shippo laughed. She put Shippo down and told them to go out and wait by the car for her as she finished talking with her mom. But when they left, she saw them smirking all the way to the door.

She turned back to her mom with a frown and said, "Mom… about Inuyasha…"

"Yes, dear?" Mom asked. "He truly was a unique looking young man… but he must've been very sweet if he wanted to walk you home. Now, how long have you two been dating?"

Kagome went even redder as she heard Sota sniggering from the next room. "Mom, we aren't, I repeat, AREN'T dating! He and I are just friends and that's it! Yeah, he walked me home, but don't friends do that all the time even when they aren't going? Really, there's nothing like that going on between us."

But she might've just been talking to a brick wall for all the good it did, Mom clearly was so happy that her daughter finally found a man that she wasn't even listening.

"Oh, you must bring him over for dinner sometime," she said as she pushed Kagome to the door. "I would love to meet him. Well, don't let me hold you back any longer. You're probably already late for your date."

"MOM!" Kagome cried. "IT'S NOT A…"

Slam. Her mom had just shut the door behind her before Kagome could finish speaking. Stunned, she groaned in annoyance as she turned to the two vampires sitting on top of her mom's car and were laughing good-naturedly at her.

"I bet Inuyasha would love to hear that," Rin said as Kagome unlocked the doors.

"Don't you dare tell him!" Kagome threatened. "The day's only started, but I'm exhausted. So please, can't you two play some kind of game until we reach the café?"

Kagome started the car, glanced back at the two of them playing a game of eye-spy…

Now, in the short time that she met them… she already loved Shippo and Rin dearly… but this was going to be a long car ride.

**(Sorry for the long time. But this story is really difficult to write. I've also been working on another Inuyasha/Kagome story that should be going on soon. Sometime in the next day or so, I'll be putting up a quick preview on my profile. So if you want to look at it sometime tomorrow and tell me if it sounds good. I would appreciate it. Hope you enjoyed this chapter… until next time.)**


	25. The Shikigami café

_**Chapter Twenty-three: The Shikigami café**_

"I spy with my little eye…" Rin began as she looked out the window. "Something that's green."

"The grass?" Shippo guessed, even though the grass looked more a sickly brown color with winter fast approaching.

"No," Rin grinned at him cheekily.

"How about the leaves?" Shippo guessed again, but instead of green, the few leaves that were still on the trees were now in deep bronze, brown, and reds.

"No."

"The traffic light?" he guessed just as Kagome drove through the green light.

"Nope!"

"Ok, I give up," Shippo said annoyed, and Kagome could see with the overhead mirror that he was sitting back in his seat with his arms folded. "What is it?"

"A frog," Rin said happily.

"A Frog!" Shippo demanded as he looked around at the traffic filled highway. "What frog? Where's a frog? We aren't anywhere near a pond!"

"I know," she answered sweetly. "I'm thinking about that pet frog I used to have. Jaken… you remember?"

"You're supposed to be seeing something right now!" Shippo yelled at her. "I can't see anything in your mind!"

"Well good thing for me," she said.

"Kids, please," Kagome groaned from the front seat, suddenly having a good idea how her mother must've felt when she and Sota argued in the back seat on long car rides. "I've got a great idea. How about we all play the quiet game? Ok, starting now."

"But…" Rin began but Shippo cried out, "I WIN! YOU TALKED!"

"I was just asking a question!"

"Yeah, but you still talked."

"Have either of you ever played the quiet game?" Kagome asked wearily. Really, she didn't know why her mom wanted grandkids so badly. If this was how it was going to be, Kagome knew she was quickly going to lose her mind.

"Funny enough, Inuyasha and the others like us to play that game a lot," Shippo offered helpfully.

"I can't imagine why," Kagome said trying to sound upbeat and politely puzzled, though it was hard through her gritted teeth. She was forced to count to ten in her head to calm herself down enough before she tried a different approach.

"Ok, so why don't you both tell me a little more about your coven?" she asked. "I mean, what do you guys like to do?"

"Oh, lots of stuff," Shippo chirped up. "We can do anything Humans do, and better."

'_I see that includes modesty,'_ Kagome thought to herself. "Ok, why don't you name a few?"

"Well, we have to be careful not to go out when the sun is out," Rin said. "We mostly do things at night. Or on a cloudy day like today."

"Like?"

"Running, games…" Shippo named. "But we also have to hunt a lot."

It sounded strange hearing about kids having to hunt for their food… especially since she knew that it wasn't the meat that they needed.

"Ok," she said. "But why does Inuyasha suddenly want us to meet them at the café?"

"It's tiring to only be able to talk to you at night," Shippo said.

That suddenly made sense to Kagome and nodded thoughtfully.

"And besides, we like it there," Shippo said before he looked to Rin and asked, "What is it that Miroku calls it?"

"It has a good atmosphere," she answered. "Reminds us of home."

They arrived at the café just 5 minutes later. And as the kids jumped out the car, Kagome took their hands and all went up to the front doors of a tall wooden building with the name of the café over the entrance. Kagome had never noticed it before but she had to admit that they had a good point. While outside the café, it looked like any one of the other buildings in the shopping district, but inside it…

As soon as they walked through the doors, it was like stepping back through time to the caste of an Japanese lord's castle. The floor seemed to be made of soft bamboo, and there were swords and Japanese scrolls on the dark wooden walls. The form of a large dragon with a snake-like body, wrapping itself around mountains like smoke was painted on the far wall and there was the smell of tea in the air.

They entered the café and looked around. To Kagome's surprise, Sango and Kirara sitting at one of the tables, waiting for them. Sango smiled and waved them over—the kids ran straight to her with big smiles and hugs all around.

Kagome followed close behind. "You're alright?" she asked in worry.

"I've been better," Sango admitted and Kagome noticed that she had several large bruises on the side of her neck and arms. "Oh, don't worry about these," she laughed when she noticed that Kagome was staring at her. "I've had worse injuries believe me. There were just more vampires last night than I thought there would be."

"What about everyone else?" Kagome asked as she drew up a chair right next to her. "Kohaku and the others? Inuyasha came to tell us to meet you guys here, but he didn't really give us too many details."

"Nothing too eventful," Kirara said softly as she pushed her undrunk cup of tea around with the spoon. "We were ambushed and fought an all-out war with Naraku's servants in the cemetery. It was a short, but fierce battle." She looked to Shippo and said, "Thanks to your early warning, we were more than ready for them."

Shippo stuck his chest out proudly as Sango went on, "Anyway, Naraku only sent his servants after us; he didn't bother coming himself. If only we can figure out where he's hiding… We could take him down if only we knew where he is."

"But that still doesn't explain what this has to do with me," Kagome said desperately, finally asking the question that had been bothering her the most. Everyone kept saying that she could help them, but how can she, a human girl, help a whole coven of powerful vampires? Why had they deceived themselves into thinking that _she_ could help _them_?

"Because you're a priestess," Sango said calmly as if it was obvious.

Out of all the answers that Kagome had been expecting… it wasn't that. Kagome felt her jaw drop as she stared at Sango, worried for her sanity. "Yeah, that's funny, really funny," she said with a laugh, sure that it was a joke. But then she realized that Sango and Kirara weren't smiling as they looked at her. Their eyes shone nothing but certainty. "You're not serious are you?" she asked softly. "Me? A priestess? I mean, sure I dressed as one for Halloween, but a real-life priestess?"

"Why do you think you were drawn to that costume in the first place?" Kirara asked her. "Inuyasha told us that you looked so natural in that outfit, he said that it was almost as if he was back in time. You were born to wear that outfit. That's why you were drawn to that clothing in the first place."

"Look," Kagome said rolling her eyes, trying to get them to see reason. "I'm sure that a lot of girls look like they were born to wear witch and devil costumes, but that doesn't mean that they're _actually_ witches and devils are they?"

"The fact that you looked so natural in those clothes was only one of many signs," Kirara explained.

"You come from a long line of priests don't you?" Sango asked. "We did a little research on your background as well. And we found out that your ancestors were shrine-keepers. You must know this? So is it really so difficult for you to believe that you have the power of a priestess as well?"

"Yes!" Kagome yelled causing several people to look over and stare at her. 'Sorry,' she mouthed at them before she turned back to Shippo and the girls and whispered. "I don't know why you think I can help you."

"You make the wish and we'll be human again," Rin offered helpfully. "Only a priestess can use the jewel and make our wish. Your sacred powers can purify the jewel and…"

"But I don't have any powers," she hissed to them. "Don't you think that I would know about them if I did?"

"You don't know about them because they aren't fully awakened yet," Sango explained calmly and slowly. "You've never had any training, and there was never any need for you to use them before now seeing how there aren't any more demons around. But we can sense them deep in you. You have the same kind of power that the priestess Kikyo had."

"Kikyo?" Kagome questioned. "You mean the girl who wished for the jewel to disappear?"

"We know this might sound crazy," Kirara said quickly.

"You got that right," Kagome said before she could stop herself, but Kirara went on as if she hadn't heard her, "But you have to believe us when we tell you… we think that you just might… you might be her reincarnation."

Stunned silence.

Kagome's jaw dropped again. This was a joke; this had to be a very bad joke. A priestess? Her? And apparently not just any priestess… but the reincarnation of the girl who had wished for the jewel that they're all looking for to disappear? It was official… these vampires were crazy. Maybe after centuries of hopeless searching had finally taken their toll on them? "You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, no we aren't," Sango said firmly standing up and holding out a hand to her. "We have every reason to believe that you're her reincarnation. And it's not just because you look like her. You have the same sacred aura that she had. That alone is proof enough."

"This is crazy," Kagome told them shaking her head, and actually backing away from them, for the first time—feeling fear creep up her spine. "You actually think that I'm just some dead priestess that's come back to life?"

"Kagome," Sango said softly. "We know that you aren't _really_ Kikyo. And I know it's difficult to believe. But you have to trust us on this. You don't have the same senses that we do. We just know that you have a part of _her_ in _you_. We just know."

Kagome had many thoughts and feelings running through her mind, but before she could say anything else, Kirara stood up as well and said, "We can prove it to you. Come with us."

**(I know that you all must hate me for keeping you waiting so long and have such a short chapter. But let me explain, I've had viruses attacking my computer and I had no choice but to delete most of my stories from my documents. And recently I've had to take the whole computer over to Geek Squad to fix the damage that those viruses did. So I've only recently managed to get everything up and running again. Again, sorry, and hopefully the next chapter will be longer. And I can promise you all a little more Inuyasha and Kagome romance next chapter as well.)**


	26. One and the Same

_**Chapter Twenty-four: One and the Same**_

Kagome got into the car with everyone else as Miroku asked for her keys.

"You do know how to drive don't you?" she asked as she forced herself to hand them over and he took them brightly.

"Of course I do," he began as he opened the car door, but Sango stepped over and snatched the keys from his grasp.

"Actually," she said firmly. "_I'll_ be the one driving. We don't want any more accidents," she looked at Kagome and said. "Don't worry about him. He just likes going real fast and the last time he drove, he nearly ran three other cars and a bus off the road."

"How can you almost drive a bus off the road?" Kagome couldn't help but ask in astonishment as everyone got in and pulled out of the parking lot. "What were you driving? A semi?"

"Oh, that's an interesting story," Shippo said as they made their way down the highway. The trip was surprisingly short, but long enough for them to tell Kagome of the dangers of the road and how Miroku thought that there were some beautiful women on board who were being held hostage.

"You are an idiot," Kagome said to Miroku who was practically drooling when he out the window to see a pair of girls in a convertible. "You know that right?"

"You wound me," he chuckled as Sango turned off the freeway and down a smaller and quieter road.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, suddenly worried as the sounds of the heavy traffic disappeared behind them.

"Our home," Sango muttered simply. They drove onwards, Shippo and Rin often talking about some story they did and they didn't stop until they reached a dark patch of dirt road and turned onto it. They drove on for another 15 minutes, the trees looking a little bent and crooked and caused the road to look even darker than necessary. Until at long last, they spotted the only house they'd seen on this lonely little road.

Kagome wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe Dracula's castle or some crumbling old ruins like a dungeon? Some type of dark mansion that caused little kids to run from in terror… a freaky graveyard with a large mausoleum? The Cullen's house? What she didn't expect to see a large manor sitting up on a hill.

Well, it certainly wasn't a modern house… but it wasn't Dracula's castle or a haunted one either. It looked like something you would see from the late 1800's… a long wooden house that had to be filled with dozens of rooms… it looked like a place where some rich lord had once lived and thrown parties for his guests.

Kagome thought that it was a bit of an elegant beauty… for some reason, it almost felt like home.

They pulled into a long driveway and they all got out of the car. When Kagome got out and stretched her legs, she looked up the worn-out looking stone steps that led up to the large, aged oak door. They walked up those stairs and through that door. It led immediately to a long and thin corridor that was riddled with dozens of closed doors.

"This way," Sango said smiling. "And don't worry; we'll give you the grand tour later." She looked to the kids and said, "Why don't you both play for awhile?"

"Why can't we come to?" Shippo demanded.

"Because we'll be doing some boring meditation," Miroku answered smiling. "But if you rather come with us and sit there being quiet until you feel like you're about to cry then…"

He didn't need to say anything else because Rin and Shippo both turned and disappeared around the corner of the house in a flash.

Once they were gone, Kagome turned to Miroku, "You sure know how to clear a room."

He grinned wickedly at her as Kagome looked over at Sango and asked, "Meditation?"

Sango gave her a gentle look. "You'll see." They all walked together down the long corridor until Sango reached one door on the left side.

"This one," she said as she turned the highly polished, brass doorknob. Inside was a large room with dark wooden floors, and wide windows that were open and a light breeze was drifting in. This was large enough to have thrown something like a ball almost… and Kagome was willing to bet that maybe it had once held many parties in its day. But Kagome couldn't understand what they were going to do with her as she watched the white curtains flutter from the open windows.

The room was almost completely empty. The only things there were some large white candles on the floor, and some strongly burning incense that burned her nose. "What is this?" she coughed as she waved her hand in front of her face to try and get rid of the smell.

Miroku sighed as he walked in and sat down in front of the candles, his back to her.

"We brought you here so that you might be able to see a part of your past," Sango said as she pulled Kagome into the room and led her over to the candles on the floor.

"Are we going into this again?" Kagome sighed. "I keep telling you…"

"Kagome?" Miroku said quickly. "This is important. If you still don't believe us by the end of our little experiment then I promise we'll let the matter drop. But please just bare with us for a minute."

Kagome gave him an annoyed look, but she sat down across from him, with Sango on her other side so that they formed a triangle. "Alright," she said as she folded both her legs and her arms. "What is it that we're supposed to be doing?"

"Just open your mind and listen," Miroku said almost soothingly. He laid his palms out, facing up, on his knees and took several long, deep breaths. Kagome, seeing that Sango was also doing this, she should as well. She laid her hands on her knees just as Miroku was doing and sat there, feeling stupid.

"Good," Miroku said almost lazily as he closed his eyes. "Just start breathing… take a deep breath, count to ten and then breath out… then repeat it… let your muscles start to relax…"

Kagome did as she was told. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath—and almost gagged on the smell from the incense… but funnily, the fumes she was breathing in seemed to make her feel light-headed… almost sleepy. She repeated the process… feel herself drifting in and out of herself…

"Memories we can fade…" Miroku's voice said after a long time of quiet breathing. "But we can never forget. Go to sleep…"

"I am asleep…" Kagome whispered, and for some reason Inuyasha's face appeared in her mind, "I think this has to be a dream…"

"Not a dream…" Miroku spoke again as if he was standing far away across a distance shore. "Memories… now go deeper… think… dream…"

Kagome had no idea what they wanted from her. She kept her eyes shut and concentrated on her breathing… that was when it happened.

She strayed into her dream.

_She was wandering down a dirt road and loving the strong wind that blew her hair around… next, she was in a hut making dinner and was wiping the sweat from her brow as she worked over the fire… she was then picking flowers and plants in a small field as she watched, happily, the men working on their rice patties…_

_What was happening to her? What was all this?_

_The next vision she had was where she was sitting underneath a large tree and talking to—she didn't know who she was talking to… only that someone was there with her…_

_Then she was kneeling before a large shrine… there was a large pink jewel was sitting before her and…_

She woke up.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she stared around her, gasping for breath. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Sango looking at her with concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she held out a cup of water and Kagome gulped it down greedily. "I… yes… I… what was that?" she gasped once she had enough air.

"What did you see?" Miroku asked her and she suddenly realized that he was on her other side.

Kagome shook her head as she rubbed her temples. "A bunch of things… none of it made any sense… I… I felt like I was someone else. I was in a place that I'd never seen or been to before… I was… like I was watching something from another person's point of view… I… I became someone else. I had no sense of self there. I was just… her…"

"That was Kikyo," Sango explained sadly.

Kagome looked up at her in astonishment. "That can't be…"

Sango hugged her tightly, "You can't run forever, Kagome," she said softly. "Hiding from your past in one place, you'll find it in another. It is waiting for you down the road. You are who we said you are… but you are also your own person—not Kikyo. We believe that you have the power to help us… but only you can decide to do so or not."

Kagome didn't know what to say to that so she just hugged her instead. "I still don't know if I buy this whole priestess thing," she said honestly, though the more she thought about it, the more it began to scare her. "But I'm willing to do what I can to help you."

_*Inuyasha's Flashback*_

_It was dark outside, and rain rippled down his face and the cold water fell like a million teardrops from the overcast sky, touching his body like sharp blades of ice. But he didn't feel anything. For he was cold himself as there was no heat coming from body._

_His eyes, empty and cold but at the same time emerged a gold that was made out of pure sunshine rays which reached one's soul. His hair resembled the silvery shine of the stars, as a strong wind surrounded his figure as he stood at the edge of a high building and he was soaked to the bone._

_Her scent still lingered itself inside of his nostrils… he was letting this storm try to wash away his pain, the pain he promised to hold inside of him until he found her again. He would wait until she would come again to him, until she would be by his side again, until they could be together forever. And this time, for sure._

_He remembered her warm lips pressing against his for the last time…_

_"Kikyo?" he asked as her pale and beautiful face came into his mind. She smiled at him… he would wait for her… until his final breath… until the world stopped turning…_

_*End of Flashback*_

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open as he looked around him to see that he had fallen asleep. He groaned as he got up and started running in some random direction. He was dreaming about her again—he had been dreaming about Kikyo. Why she continued to haunt his dreams even after 5 centuries, he didn't know. He was empty without her, and his nonexistent heart grieved for her.

But now a new face… her face… was back and haunting him. Kagome… He could smell Kikyo on Kagome, but it wasn't the same. It was both hateful and wonderful at the same time. He was willing to bet that Kagome was indeed Kikyo's reincarnation, but she had a different mind… a different soul. It was almost like seeing a new soul inside of Kikyo's body. It troubled him.

He wasn't sure what to think anymore, so instead, he just kept running even faster, hoping that his problems would disappear if he ran fast enough.

_*Later*_

Inuyasha soon found himself near a Harbor. He was hiding behind a crate when he spotted men loading and unloading ships and emptied them into old warehouse.

"Come on," Inuyasha moaned. He was supposed to be trying to find hints to where Naraku was hiding, not watching these guys work with fish all day. He could suddenly smell the odor of rotting flesh mixed in with the salty sea air and he gagged at the strong sent. "Oh god." He held his nose. "Why am I even here?"

"Who's there?" someone called.

Inuyasha froze. Just a whisper and he has already been caught. His shoulder was grabbed and he was swung around. Before he could make sense of what was happening, a dark voice cried out, "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

_*Naraku*_

"Are you telling me the truth?" Naraku asked his spy lazily.

"Yes," Goshinki said almost hungrily. "He has been seeing a human girl that looks just like that accursed priestess did." He licked his lips and went on. "She's a real beaut so I guess I can understand that. Makes me wonder if she's as delicious as she looks."

"I knew something was up with that damn vampire!" Naraku replied with a grin. "So… it appears that even after all these years, he still hasn't forgotten his old flame."

"What do we do?" Goshinki asked as he watched his master look out the window.

"Nothing for now," Naraku smiled. "After all… if I am correct, then they must think this girl can help them. Why else would they be bothering with her? Perhaps she can be useful in finding that blasted jewel."

"But if they find the jewel before we do…" Goshinki began, but Naraku cut him off.

"They know that using the jewel to become human again is pointless so long as I am alive," he smiled cruelly. "Even if they find it, they won't be able to do anything with it so long as I live. Just wait and watch. If things go the way that we want, then perhaps, Goshinki… you will get your wish to taste that girl."

Goshinki licked his lips again as Naraku thought a little more about this new piece of interesting information. "What do you know?" he asked himself. "It seems that Inuyasha has a weakness after all. That is the problem with humans… their weak hearts."

He turned back to his servant and said, "Wait for the moment to strike. Before the eclipse arrives, we shall get our hands on that jewel, and feast on all the blood that we desire."

**(Finally done with another chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. So now, Naraku finally makes his appearance. And Inuyasha was thinking about his old love while Kagome saw a fragment of her past life. Exciting no?) **


	27. Toxic Shadow

_**Chapter Twenty-five: Toxic Shadow**_

Vampires were creatures of the night… blood suckers who preyed on humans…

That was what Kagome always thought when she heard the word 'vampire'. But for the last few weeks she had been living something out of a cross between a horror film and a romance novel. All that she needed now was for some creepy morbid music to start playing…

Kagome didn't know who, or even _what_, she was anymore. She had stayed with Miroku and the others there for the next couple hours talking about what it was they were to do.

Not that they accomplished much. Inuyasha, Koga, and Sesshomaru were all out looking for any kind of clues to Naraku's whereabouts. But so far, no one's heard from them. While it had her anxious, the others assured her that they were strong and not to worry.

Kagome forced a painful smile when she left—stopping only to give a hug to Shippo and Rin when they finally came running back to say goodbye. She drove along that empty winding road… trying to find some way to deal with what she had just learnt. In the last twelve hours she found out that she was the reincarnation of a priestess who died five hundred years ago… and is somehow the key to helping a coven of vampires find a cursed jewel to turn them all humans. Unable to stand it, that as soon as she reached the highway, she turned the opposite direction and headed straight for Half-Moon Cove.

The sun was slowly beginning to set by the time that Kagome had arrived at Half-Moon Cove. It looked a lot like the last time she had been here as she stared at the familiar crescent moon-shaped lake that was glowing in the fading light. She got out of her car and walked along the silvery sand…

So… they think that they could help her because she was a priestess? But what could she do? Even if they were right—and the more she thought about it—the more she began to think they were right. What was she to do to help them?

She sighed as she stared at the dead grass that was blowing pitifully in the cold wind. She wrapped her coat tighter around her… she planned to come here when summer comes around. She sat on the shore and watched the waves lap on the shore.

'_Maybe I am a priestess,'_ she thought. _'Why else would they be so interested in me? Why else would they bother with me…? But why did it have to be me?'_

She sat there for so long that she didn't notice when the sun had and the sky was full of twinkling stars… until she heard the sounds of an owl hooing from a tree. She sighed and got up, planning on going home when she heard a familiar voice.

"I thought you'd be here."

She let out a startled shriek as she spun around… to see Inuyasha was there…

Covered in bruises and scars…

"Inuyasha!" she gasped as she ran over to him and felt the injuries against his pale skin. "What happened to you? You're hurt!"

Inuyasha glanced at her concerned face, "Keh, they're just a few scratches."

Kagome moved her arm and looked at his 'scratches' in disbelief. "These are scratches?" He didn't answer.

"It's nothing," he repeated as he took her hand. "Just dealt with a couple vampires…"

_*Flashback*_

_"Who's there?" someone called._

_Inuyasha froze. Just a whisper and he has already been caught. His shoulder was grabbed and he was swung around. Before he could make sense of what was happening, a dark voice cried out, "Who are you? How did you get in here?"_

_Inuyasha recognized that voice… Naraku's servant…_

_Kageromaru._

_And if that thing is here… then so is his brother Juromaru…_

_Baring his fangs he spun around and lunged for the two vampires—aiming to kill._

_*End of Flashback*_

"So you attacked them?" she asked as the two of them sat on the sand and he told her what happened.

"Yep," he answered as he threw a few rocks into the water. "Juromaru was the one who grabbed my shoulder and Kageromaru was the one who spoke. They work for Naraku, but even _he_ had trouble controlling them."

"What happened to them?" she asked worriedly.

"Well, Koga showed up and kept them busy long enough for me to finish them off," he answered. "Two less vampires for us to worry about."

"Good," she said uncomfortably, though she had mixed feelings of knowing someone who can kill so fiercely.

He must've guessed that she was thinking something like that because he turned and asked her about her family. She shrugged. "Nothing much. Dad died years ago and Mom brought me and Sota up on her own—with help from grandpa of course."

She had taken her hair out of the tight pony tail she had had it secured in before. He couldn't help but notice how it cascaded well passed her shoulders. She was very beautiful, and her eyes had a mesmerizing quality to them.

"Sota?" He questioned softly, encouraging her to continue.

She obliged him, "My kid brother."

"Oh, the runt…" Inuyasha replied.

"Be nice," she told him firmly.

He smiled sadly, "That must be nice… actually having an older sibling who cares."

She looked up at the sound of his voice, "What do you mean? What about you and Sesshomaru?"

"No… we aren't exactly close. You see, we have different mothers," he answered grimly. "We didn't grow up together—nor do we have anything in common. He just can't get over the fact that a half-breed shares his blood."

"Then why are you both here?" she asked. If these two hated each other so much, why were they living together and helping to track down the same rouge vampire.

"Because he hates Naraku more than he hates me," he answered simply.

They didn't say anything for a long time, just enjoying each other's company. Kagome then realized that her family must've been worried sick about her. She stood up and said quickly, "Oh, I've got to get home!"

But as she ran along the sand, she felt Inuyasha grab her arm and spun her around to face him. He then pulled her close and crashed his lips against hers. Completely stunned but enjoying it immediately, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him closer as he planted his lips against hers. When she pulled away he moved forward, his hands going to the small of her back to pull her closer to him. He teased her bottom lip with his teeth. He nipped softly and she gasped in surprise, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His hands were making designs on her back, and her arms moved up to encircle his neck.

Grinning into the kiss, she didn't realize that soon she they both fell and were in the sand… she ran her hands up to touch his cute ears and he groaned into the kiss… she suddenly felt a surge of emotion coming deep inside—as if long since buried and only now awakening—

'_Whose feelings are these? Kikyo's? Or mine?'_ she thought randomly. But at that moment she didn't care. She just continued kiss him long and hard. His trail of kisses reached her neck… and Kagome felt his fangs drink more of her blood…

_*Morning* (And so you all know they didn't go __that__ far. Just some hard-core kissing.)_

Kagome woke up… sore and tired with sand in her hair and using Inuyasha's chest for a pillow. His coat was covering them both in a warm blanket. He opened his eyes and grinned down at her, "You awake?" he asked teasingly.

She smirked back. "You're lucky that your kisses are out of this world otherwise I would be angry at you for making me sleep out in the cold. They both sat up and were brushing the sand that coated them both and Kagome gasped when she saw the sun beginning to rise. The twinkling stars went out one by one… and then the horizon began to glow… almost as if it were liquid fire. It spread across the land, over the lake… and then up to the sky. It got brighter and brighter… until everything began to glow.

"Gorgeous," she whispered. The two of them watched as the sun crept over the horizon and slowly began to rise. "Oh, are you alright?" she asked, remembering that the light hurts him.

"Only a little," he shrugged nonchalantly. "Really, it's nothing…"

"I have to get home," she sighed and got to her feet. "Who knows what mom is going to be thinking. I promised to be back last night."

"It's only 4:30," Inuyasha said as he checked his watch. "If we hurry, I can get you back before she thinks otherwise."

She stared at him before she grinned, "I'll believe it when I see it."

He grinned back and said, "Get in. I'll drive."

She tossed him the keys and was now in shotgun as he got behind the wheel. She shut her eyes and began to doze off as he gently pulled out and went onto the road. She thought that she had only been asleep for a few minutes before someone was shaking her rudely awake.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha said as she slowly began to come out of her slumber. "You better hurry if you want to get into your room."

She opened one of her eyes to look at him. "What time is it?"

"Almost 5," he grinned. "If we hurry, we should be able to get you in and you can change so your mom will never know you were out all night."

"But we have to get home first…" she groaned as she closed her eyes again.

"But we are home," he laughed as if he thought she was dumb. Kagome sat upright and looked around her. He was right… they were parked in the driveway and the sun had almost completely risen.

"But… how…?" she gasped and stared at him. "That doesn't make any sense! It takes at least an hour to get from here to Half-Moon Cove!"

He grinned mischievously. "Sorry, but a vampire never reveals his secrets." His ears suddenly twitched towards the house. "Sounds like your mother is getting up."

Kagome choked as she quickly got out. As soon as she shut the door, Inuyasha was there and swung her up onto his back before they leapt up into the air and to her windowsill. She quickly opened the window and slipped inside. "Thanks," she whispered as she turned back towards him—who was clinging onto the sill as he looked at her. "But what am I supposed to do now?"

"I'll be back soon enough," he promised. "Until then, try to stay out of trouble."

"You're one to talk," she grinned back. His eyes rose to meet her expressive brown ones… in that second—she know she didn't imagine it that time—his golden eyes flashed a blood red…

She blinked… but then they were back to normal. "Inu-Inuyasha?" she asked with concern in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," he said as he shook his head, as if getting rid of a fly. "I just… it's hard… sometimes I can't help myself."

She rubbed her sore neck. "Inuyasha. I-about last night…" she began slowly.

He raised his head up at her. "We sometimes forget on the spur of the moment." He reached up and kissed her lips again. "I personally liked it."

This time, she leaned in and kissed him hard and passionately. Neither one wanted to do it, but they finally pulled away and they were panting for air when they did. "I'd better go." He said softly, breaking the silence, she nodded silently. Then she blinked…

And he was gone.

When he had left her, all Kagome could do was stare at where he had been. Her limbs were weak, and her body was heavy, though her veins were flooded with electricity. Kagome's fingers reached up and touched her lips softly, as she remembered his lips on her own all night. A smile spread almost as fast as the blush…

After sitting in the same position for about fifteen minutes Kagome jumped when her mother called out to her.

"Kagome?"

"I'm here mom!" she called back at once.

"Oh, you're home!" she heard her mom sigh in relief. "I was starting to get worried when you didn't come back by the time I went up."

Kagome grabbed her bathrobe and wrapped it around herself and a towel to cover her sand-filled hair. She stuck her head out and when she didn't see her mother she raced to the bathroom. "I'm fine mom! The—ah—traffic was really bad last night. That's why it took so long. I'm gonna take a shower ok?"

"Ok, sweetheart," she called back. You can't help but love mom. Just as long as Kagome didn't do anything illegal, her mother was so easy on her. After a long, hard shower she felt that it was safe enough to come out. She returned to her room and collapsed onto her bed. Just as she was thinking about getting some more sleep, her phone rang.

Swearing to herself, she got off the bed on stiff legs and approached the offending appliance. She stared at it for a second, when it rang again she reached out to pick it up, '_Maybe it's Inuyasha.'_ she thought hopefully, but then shook her head, _'S__tupid! He doesn't know my number; I never gave it to him. So who could it be?'_

She flicked it open and said wearily, "Hello?"

"Hey, Kagome!" It was Eri.

"Oh! Hey Eri! Did you want something?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat, but sounded close to falling asleep.

"Oh, good your home!" she said happily, "I was calling all day yesterday but you never called back. You're mom said that you were out and would call me when you got back."

"Oh, I got back pretty late," Kagome lied quickly. "Mom was already in bed by the time I got here and… ah… I didn't bother checking my messages."

"Oh," Eri said in surprise. "Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the mall with me and the other girls today?"

"Um, yeah, sure," Kagome said slightly distracted, her mind was still on the tall handsome vampire who had kissed her…

"Kagome?" Eri asked sensing that something was wrong. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing Eri," she said softly. In truth, she was still really worn out… but she needed to get out. "I just had a… beautiful nigthmare."

They talked for a little longer before Eri hung up. Kagome fell back onto her bed, wondering when her life got so complicated. Kagome then heard a light knock at her door.

"Kagome? You in there?" came Sota's voice from out in the hall.

Kagome felt the need to scream as she slowly dragged herself out of bed. "What is it Sota?"

"Mom says that breakfast is ready," he answered. "You coming?"

"Yeah," Kagome answered… but she smiled again at the thought of all those kisses last night. "I'll be there in a second."

**(Cute huh? Just a little bit of romance… I couldn't help myself. Things are getting darker—but in more ways than one. But why are Inuyasha's eyes glowing red? What is going to happen? And when is Naraku gonna strike? Find out soon!)**


	28. Dark Kisses

_**Chapter Twenty-six: Dark Kisses**_

_*Kagome's POV*_

The mall was as packed and noisy as it ever was as Kagome and her friends all wandered around, looking at all the stores and admiring the Christmas decorations. As the other girls all looked around at ties and other clothes for their fathers, Kagome on the other hand was looking through the window of a flower shop.

A large bouquet of blue roses… a perfectly blue rose is still elusive like the perfectly black rose. She smiled as she looked at their wonderful color… blue roses cannot be achieved naturally so they represent the unattainable or the mysterious. Blue roses therefore embody the desire for the unattainable. They say "I can't have you but I can't stop thinking about you".

'_Can't stop thinking about you…'_ Kagome thought sadly as she daydreamed of a pair of golden eyes shining at her through an eerie moonlight. Her cheeks burned at the thought of all the times her lips had been pressed against his… that wonderful warm feeling of coming home and the electricity that seems to flow throughout her whole body…

"Kagome?" Eri said and Kagome jumped. She looked up to see her friends were standing there looking at her—each of them carrying large bags.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "I just thought that they're beautiful."

"We're here to do some Christmas shopping," Yuka reminded her. "Not look at flowers. And you barely bought anything."

"Well," Kagome answered smiling. "I already got almost all my shopping done."

"What?" Ayumi gasped and looked put out. "And you came here because you wanted to watch us all struggle with heavy bags?"

"You said almost…" Eri asked quickly.

"I still want to get a few more thing for… some other friends," she told them. She was thinking about getting Christmas presents for her new vampire friends… but she didn't have a clue to what they would like… other than blood that is.

As she thought it over, she and the other girls headed outside. The sky was clouded over, and Kagome knew that it was going to start raining again.

"We should get back," Ayumi said, with a side-ways glance at Kagome. "I know that you hate storms, Kagome."

"I'm alright," Kagome smiled at them. "I got over it."

"You're not afraid of storms anymore?" she asked in surprise as they headed towards the car. "When and how…?" she stopped dead, her head staring over Kagome's shoulder.

"What is it?" Kagome asked as the other two suddenly stopped dead and were looking over her head as if mesmerized. Feeling that she was missing something, she turned around to see someone standing there, leaning up against the wall.

Her cheeks turned red again—it was Inuyasha.

_*Inuyasha's POV*_

Inuyasha had been in his room all day—lying on his bed staring at the ceiling—lost in thoughts. He wanted to see Kagome. To see how she was doing but she had been busy all day… but…

Inuyasha stood up and began to throw things around in frustration.

'_Why do I keep thinking of her?'_ He thought furiously._ 'Nothing makes sense anymore… she's a human and I'm a vampire. So why…?'_

Inuyasha thought that he learned his lesson the first time. He gave his heart to someone had only got burned. Unable to think straight, he grabbed his usual blue hat before he ran out of his room, making his way out of the house, through the forest and made his way through the town to get his mind off her. He leapt across the rooftops, past the Christmas decorations as he listened to the sound of the wind rushing passed him. He didn't know what to think anymore.

He knew that he and Kagome couldn't be together—what if they failed? What if they couldn't finish Naraku off before the eclipse came? They would all have to wait another 500 years… not a problem for them he supposed… but Kagome…

The only way they could be together was if he bite her and turned her into a vampire… he shook his head.

No, he couldn't do that to her. She would be forced to face the world as a monster…

He landed in an alleyway before he came out. He looked up at the threatening sky. He wouldn't have to worry… the sky was blocking out the sun completely, and knew that another storm was coming. He sighed as he leaned up against the wall, trying to figure out what to do.

To be honest with himself, he didn't think he could stay near her for much longer… but at that second his nose caught a whiff of Kagome's blood. Eyes widening, he looked up to see her…

Kagome was walking across the parking lot, with several other girls. Her back was to him—he briefly wondered if he could make a break for it until she suddenly turned and saw him. As soon as he saw those warm eyes, his indecision faded and he smiled.

Kagome looked startled for a moment before she blushed and smiled back. She turned back to her friends and said something. Underneath the blue hat, Inuyasha heard her voice.

"I'll be back in a minute," she told them.

"Kagome, you can't honestly think of walking up to some random guy and talk to him!" one of the girls said. "Even if he is totally hot!"

"It's ok, I know him."

"You KNOW him?"

"When?"

"How?"

"Why didn't you tell us that you were seeing someone?"

"Does he have a hot brother and if he does can I have him?"

Inuyasha smirked at the idea of one of those giggling girls would end up with Sesshomaru. Rin had planned on marrying him once she was human and grew up a little more.

Deciding to recue Kagome from those girls, he walked forward as they talked. "Kagome?" he asked once he was near.

Kagome turned back to him, a great smile on her face as the girl's jaws dropped. "Inuyasha! What are you doing here?" she asked as she walked over to him.

"I was trying to clear my head… I didn't imagine running into you here," he answered. His eyes flickered to the girls who continued to stare at him bleakly. He smirked—always finding it hilarious when girls stared at him. But his full attention was on Kagome.

"Do you want to go for a walk? I'll take you back to your house for you," he asked as he looked back up at the girls. "If you don't mind?"

"N-no," the girl with the headband said, and shot Kagome a jealous look.

"We don't mind," said another one with thick, curly hair.

"In that case," he said as he put his arm around Kagome's waist and pulled her away from them. Once their backs were turned, Kagome whispered, "You did that on purpose didn't you? Now they're going to bug me constantly until I tell them everything about you."

"As long as you don't tell them about my diet," he said with a grin. "I don't mind."

Once they were out of their sights, Inuyasha suddenly swept her up onto his shoulders and they began running again. Kagome let out a light cry of surprise, but recovered quickly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his hair. They kept at it for some time, even after the rain started to fall though she didn't mind one bit. She only hung on tighter and enjoyed the feeling of the water falling onto her skin.

Inuyasha jumped across the city—even after it got dark and the storm was here. Kagome held Inuyasha tightly and so they carried on, jumping from one roof to another. Over the buildings and the few streetlamps, the wind blowing so hard that it was whistling in Kagome's ears, but soft enough that it was like it was singing her a lullaby.

As they jumped, it could almost be called flying, everything swirled around them in a colorful… well… blob at the edge of her vision. She held onto the long hair, feeling safer than she ever had in her life and allowed him take her as far away as possible from her normal live.

At first, everything seemed to be so fuzzy and pixelly, like a computer screen when you look too close. Still, no point in denying it, it was gorgeous. The many colors zoomed and whirled in shapes that range from spirals to jelly beans, circles to arcs. The glimmering shapes looked like little presents, covered with that shiny paper.

It was almost like a dream…

Kagome wrapped her arms around the Inuyasha's neck, pleading him to go higher and faster, letting out a cry of laughter of pure happiness.

_*Later*_

Eventfully, they stopped on the side of an empty dirt road—not unlike the one that led to Inuyasha's home. Kagome slid down so that she was standing next to him and the two of them began to walk through the rain towards a cluster of trees only a few feet away. Once they were under the cover of the foliage, Kagome finally turned back to him.

"Kagome. Are you oka—" But he was cut off when Kagome hugged him. He didn't know how to react or respond to Kagome's swift move.

Soon enough she pulled away from him. "I'm glad that you're alright. And thanks for taking me out here." The two of them were soaking wet as they stared out at the bright city that was shining. It must be late… and they had to have been in the farmland… miles from her house. Not that she minded at the moment.

Inuyasha chuckled sarcastically. "Keh, girls…"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome crossed her arms over the chest, though she knew that she didn't look scary seeing how she was soaked to the bone. "Are you always so cocky?"

"Me? Cocky?" Inuyasha asked. He tried not to pay too much attention to how her wet clothes clung to her body perfectly—revealing every curve… he shook his head hard and answered. "You still have a lot to learn about me before you can start calling me cocky."

"Doesn't mean that I can't do it anyway," replied Kagome softly. Kagome then began to walk a little further down the road. "I just wish…" she finally said. "I wish I knew what to do…"

Judging from her tone, Inuyasha had a guess to what she was talking about. He quickly walked to her and turned her around so that she was looking at him.

Looking at her arm's, left to right to left, he smiled widely, and stepped forward and wrapped his own arms around her waist. They fit together perfectly. Her arms around his neck, causing him to lose breathe for a slight moment, but he didn't care. All he cared about was holding her. Life was good at this precise time. That was until…

_Tssshhhh!_

Just perfect timing, some bus had just appeared—the two of them were so intent on each other, and with the sound of the thick rain, they didn't notice it. Inuyasha let go of Kagome, shoved his hands into his pockets and awaited to see what happened. They watched as the bus slowed in front of them, and the doors opened. Kagome jumped back, as the bus driver stuck his head out.

"You two getting on the bus or what?" he bellowed, yellow teeth smiling devilishly at Inuyasha.

Rolling his eyes, he snapped back, "You know what? I think we'll walk back, thanks."

"Suit yourself," he shouted back with that, the door shut, and the bus was gone in a flash, leaving the soaked Kagome and Inuyasha staring after it.

"I was only joking!" Inuyasha screamed, throwing his arms in the air above him. Kagome hid a giggle behind her hand, as she looked at him smiling. She stood firmly, with her hands behind her back, swinging side to side, not worrying that the rain was going in her eyes. "Not that we need a bus huh?" she asked as she leaned up against one of the thicker trees that hid her face from his view.

"I know," Inuyasha smiled, "But everyone needs someone to yell at." But it was at that moment he realized that something was wrong. He heard a sharp intake of breath and smelt salt in the air… salt from tears.

Inuyasha walked forward to see that Kagome was crying. Of course this was almost impossible to tell with all the rain, but he could see her body shaking with sobs and she was rubbing at her eyes furiously. His eyes looked sad as if he was feeling distress for her. "Kagome…"

Kagome suddenly let out a harsh laugh. "Look at me crying this… I'm so pathetic. I don't know what to do and I'm suddenly crying like a baby…"

She turned around so that he could see her, not that it stopped him. Inuyasha walked up behind Kagome and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her. "You're not pathetic Kagome. It's not your fault. None of it was."

"But it hurts so much to feel like this…" She told him. She looked into his face as the rain continued to pour around them and cried. He removed his arms and instead he slid his hands down her arms slowly, his face leaning in towards her neck.

Kagome could feel his breath on her neck, sending shivers down her spine. But she did not pull away from him. For some reason Kagome enjoyed his company, him being so close to her like he was now.

Kagome tensed, closed her eyes. "Inuyasha…what are you…?"

Inuyasha slowly, began to open his mouth, closing his eyes and once again their lips met. Once again, the feeling of being loved—of coming home… almost overwhelmed her. Why do these kisses have to end? If she could, she would've stopped time so that the two of them would be like this forever.

"You know…?" she said after an eternity of kissing and he finally pulled away. "My family is going to be worried about where I am."

He nodded as he picked her up and carried her back to the house. The ride back was quiet and soon enough, they were jumping from the rooftops of the familiar neighborhood. She sighed as her house came into view and they landed on her windowsill. He easily slipped the window open and the two of them slipped back into her room quietly. Kagome glanced at the clock in surprise as she landed onto her floor. It was 7:32… she had been gone for almost four hours. Not that she minded the trip, but she knew that her mother would've been worried.

Luckily, mom took Sota with her so that they could shop for some new clothes for him. And since she noticed that the car was still gone, they mustn't have gotten back yet. Lucky break for her. But she would have to deal with these wet clothes before they got back. When she looked back at Inuyasha, she could see that he was starting to climb out the window.

"Inuyasha?" she asked softly. He turned back to her. "When will I see you again?" she asked.

He smiled softly at her. "Soon," he promised.

And he sealed that promise with another kiss. This one was different from the one they shared in the road only an hour ago. This was full of passion… full of life…

"Mmm…" Kagome moaned as his lips teased hers, his hot breath steamed with undeniable love as if mixing with her own. Inuyasha placed one hand on the back of her head, and the other on her waist as Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Neither of them had ever felt like this. Inuyasha pulled away, not because he wanted to but because they both needed the air. Kagome reached up and traced his face gently with her finger; she wanted to memorize his beautiful face and it looked as if he was doing the same with hers.

She had no idea what she was doing, and her brain seemed to have frozen stiff, but she didn't feel awkward in the slightest. Her arms came up to grasp his head, tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer, pressed their mouths tighter. Not to be outdone, Inuyasha's hands took hold of her waist, lifting her and depositing her on his lap as he settled comfortably on the windowsill—the rain hitting his back. His head spun, senses completely filled with her.

_Perfection…_

Nearly a minute later, the pair sprung apart, foreheads resting together as they panted hard. Unfortunately, breathing was essential, but as they began to breathe easier, the kissing continued. Not a passionate lip-lock like seconds before, but small kisses everywhere. Forehead, the nose, the cheeks, the neck… and of course the lips. Just small, gentle kisses that seemed to fill her soul with energy…

Not a word was spoken. Not a word needed to be said. All that was needed was lips…

But like all good things it came to an end. Kagome heard the sounds of two car doors slamming and she had to pull away. She hadn't realized what she was doing until that moment, she got up from his lap, and had realized that her floor was now starting to flood with all the water around them. Knowing that she had to hurry, she looked at Inuyasha who nodded dully.

"I know," he answered. He stood up and jumped. Worried, Kagome stuck her head out and looked down, only to see him hanging onto the ledge with a grin on his face. With his strength, he pulled himself up and was able to plant one more kiss on her lips. Surprised, she closed her eyes and deepened the kiss for about 3 seconds before he pulled away from her. And when she opened her eyes… he was gone…

**(Wow, things are heating up!)**


	29. More than Friends

_**Chapter Twenty-seven: More than Friends**_

**(Happy Birthday bee1313!)**

Kagome ran to the bathroom and turned on the hot water to warm herself up. She only stayed in for a few minutes however, having spent most of the evening in the rain and didn't think she could get any cleaner. Once she had warmed up, she jumped out and quickly pulled on her pajamas before she gathered up a few towels to clean up all the water from her room. Only when she was finished, did she feel that it was safe to go downstairs and confront the rest of her family. She tossed the water-soaked towels into the laundry basket and headed straight for the kitchen to where she heard voices.

Her mom and Sota were there, going through their many shopping bags. Mom looked up at Kagome's wet hair and robe before she said, "Hello, dear. Did you have a good time with your friends?"

"Huh?" Kagome asked stupidly, forgetting why she went out in the first place. It seemed that Inuyasha's kisses made her brain melt or something. "Oh… oh, yeah. I got back a little while ago and decided to take a quick shower."

"You want to see what we got?" Sota asked excitedly as he rummaged through one of the bigger bags.

"Sota," mom warned, and eyed the bags carefully. And Kagome knew from her tone that that some of her Christmas presents where in there.

"That's alright," Kagome said, taking the hint. "I can wait a little while."

She went to the fridge and got out an apple before her mom asked, "So dear… when will we get to meet that guy of yours?"

Kagome choked on her own apple and coughed for several minutes before she looked at her mom with watering eyes. "G-guy of mine?" she repeated with a stutter.

"Yes, hun," mom said excitedly as Sota lugged some of the bags upstairs.

"Kagome, why didn't you tell me about Inuyasha?" she asked, looking at her carefully. "How long have you both been going out?"

"What's there to tell? I barely know him." Kagome replied, her face turning red.

"But you both seemed so friendly the day that he walked you home," mom persisted with a bright smile. Now, Kagome loved her mom—really she did. But if there was one thing that you needed to know about her, it was that she doesn't give up. Especially when it comes to Kagome getting a boyfriend. Trying to talk to her about that is like banging your head against a brick wall—nothing budges and you end up with a big fat headache. Just like the one she had right now.

"Mom," Kagome said slowly and carefully. "Inuyasha's _not_ my boyfriend! He's just a friend!"

"Then why are your cheeks all red?" mom asked smiling.

Of course that blush would betray her. "I got it from a scalding hot shower!" Kagome said loudly. "Honestly, Inuyasha was just walking home with me and…"

But now that she had said it… she couldn't help but wonder… what _was_ he to her? I mean… they had to have been more than friends from all the times they locked lips… her cheeks turned even redder at the thought. But what _were_ they? They weren't dating… but they were more than friends… so then what?

She shook her head hard. "It's nothing, mom." She walked behind her and said more forcefully, "We're not dating mom. Really…"

What else could she say? She didn't really have a good answer, but what else was there? No, it wasn't like she had feelings for him, which she didn't, it's just that… she barely knew him.

But why did she feel this way? Every time he touched her, she felt as if a she were complete. Like he was a part of her heart… and every time that his lips brushed against hers… oh… she had to conceal a groan.

She slowly walked upstairs, trying to figure out what was happening to her. That was when she heard a slight noise on her left once she got up to the next level, and looked up to see Sota sticking his head out his bedroom door.

"Kagome's got a boyfriend," he teased in a sing-song voice.

Her face got red again, but out of anger this time. "Shut up!" she yelled at him.

He grinned and ducked into his room. Kagome marched up to it and knocked so hard that she almost broke the door down. "Where did you hear that?" she demanded through the thick wood.

"Mom said you did," he called back.

Kagome griped her hair, fighting the urge to scream. "I don't have a boyfriend!"

"You really are a bad liar sis," he teased back. Deciding not to push it, she marched back off to her room. Honestly, who came up with little brothers? Why does it feel like their only point in existence is to make things harder for everyone?

She had gone to bed that night, so wiled up that she could shut her eyes until far past midnight… and trying hard not to dream of those beautiful golden eyes.

_*Two days later*_

Kagome had spent most of the next two days looking up everything she could find on the Sacred Jewel and the feudal era—for some kind of clue to where it was, but she didn't have any luck. She found a great deal on demons and monsters… but not a word about a jewel or vampires.

How was she supposed to help them find it if she didn't have any idea where to start? It was lucky that it was Christmas vacation as well—so aside from all the messages left on her phone—which she ignored—she didn't have to worry about confronting her friends about Inuyasha.

And so after two days of fruitless searching, Kagome laid back on her bed late one night, wondering when she would next see a vampire. A couple days not having to worry about Inuyasha and the others had been good for her. She was able to act like she did before she knew there were _real vampires_ around and any superstitions they had seemed to have faded within that time. But later that night—just after midnight, did he come again.

Kagome was dreaming peacefully in bed. She was sleeping so deeply that at first, she didn't hear her window open letting in a clad figure walked in and over to sit on her bed. Then he leaned in closer to Kagome's lips and captured them with his. That kiss was enough to wake her up. Her eyes snapped open and she smiled when she saw the golden eyes looking at her through the darkness.

Thrilled, she sat up and captured his mouth once again. Funny, how the two of them couldn't seem to pull themselves away from each other's lips for too long. In fact, Inuyasha seemed to crave this as much as he did her blood. The two of them enjoyed the feeling of the warmth they gave until he finally pulled away. The kiss ended abruptly, and for one second in time she waited. She allowed herself to memorize the dark tint of his gaze, and the passion that resided there. He must have felt her tense, must have guessed her intent, for his hand reached forward, his fingers caressing her cheek in reverence.

"I need you to come with me," he whispered.

"What is it?" she asked as she got out of bed and went over to her closet.

"We need to start looking for the jewel… tonight," he told her with a roll of his eyes and Kagome gave a look as she pulled out a pair of sweat paints and sweater. As she pulled them over her pajamas she asked, "You know where to look?"

"No," he admitted. "But that's why we have you here."

"You mine telling me what you're talking about," Kagome said as she grabbed her coat and her boots from under her bed, Inuyasha watching impatiently.

"We need to start looking for the jewel and hunt down Naraku," he hissed as he walked over to her. "We split into two groups. You'll be coming with me and a few of the others while the other half will start looking for Naraku."

"I don't know what you think I can do," she told him grumpily as she grabbed her yellow backpack and allowed him to drag her to the window. "But alright."

"Finally catching on?" he grinned as he hoisted her up onto his shoulders and jumped down from the window sill. The cold air burned her lungs and Kagome had to pull her coat up to protect her face. "Hang on!" Inuyasha called out and the two of them bolted straight into the darkness.

Little did they know that they were being watched by a pair of scared eyes.

_*Sota*_

Sota—who had been up late watching a few cartoon reruns—and had just turned off the TV when he noticed something outside his window. If he had turned off the show just a second later, he probably would've missed it. But his curtains had been open just a hair—and he saw something flying past it.

Frowning, he dragged himself from bed and went over to his window to open the curtain a little wider to see someone out on the front lawn. At least it _looked_ like someone… he watched as a figure, dressed in red, jumped up and to his sister's window… slid it open and slipped inside.

Sota blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes to make sure that he hadn't been seeing something. He opened them and glared more closely to the now closed window but nothing happened. Thinking that he was just seeing things he was about to forget it when he saw the window open again. The dark figure with long silver hair jumped down from the window as if he was merely jumping down from the bed. He landed on the lawn…

And Sota gasped. His sister was on his back! He stared horror-struck at that until the figure took off running into the darkness with his sister.

Sota stood there—terrified—not having the slightest clue what to do. Something came into his sister's room and just jumped out with her? How could that have happened? What _was_ going on? He stumbled around his room, desperate to find his phone and call the police or the doorknob so that he could go screaming to his mother…

At least until he felt a cold hand on his shoulder.

He spun around in time to see a pair of crimson eyes looking at him through the dark.

Sota gasped. "W-Who are you?"

**(I hope you liked this quick update. I wasn't planning on doing another one this soon. But I got an email from bee1313 on how she liked this story and it was her b-day today. So I really hope you liked it bee1313! And I also hope you have a great birthday! But who is it with Sota? What is happening next? Find out soon!)**


	30. The Messenger

_**Chapter Twenty-seven: The Messenger**_

'_I'm glad that I brought my coat,' _Kagome thought as they leapt through the night._ 'It's freezing.'_

Inuyasha sat perched on the top of one of the taller buildings as they over looked the city. From the rooftop, she could see the entire city, as well as some neighboring cities far off. But she was a little more focused on Inuyasha's hair that was reflecting the few narrow moonbeams that were poking through the clouds. The wind blew once again, causing her long hair to fly behind her in black tresses.

"So where are the others?" Kagome asked once she finished drinking in the beauty of the world.

"We're gonnna meet them just a little ways from here," he told her and they jumped down, the wind caught them perfectly—almost causing them to hang suspended for a brief moment before he hit the ground and jumped back up as if they were weightless. He rode the cool night air up and swooped down, closer to the street. There wasn't anyone there, seeing as how it was nearly midnight. The perfect hour to run…

Inuyasha's predatory eyes searched the windows of buildings as he soared down the road. Inuyasha smiled, allowing his fangs grow past his bottom lip. Kagome finally saw them standing on the roof of one of the smaller buildings. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were all standing there waiting for them.

When they landed next to them, Shippo jumped over to hug her at once. "Kagome!" he cried happily and Kagome was only too happy to return the hug.

"How are you doing, Kagome?" Miroku asked politely.

"Fine, I suppose," she answered as she looked up at them. "What's going on here?"

"I told you," Inuyasha said, a hint of his old impatience was back in his voice. "We're going to be looking for the jewel tonight. We're running out of time you know?"

"Yes," Kagome shot back, now annoyed with him. "But how? I mean, what can I do? I don't even know what the jewel looks like."

"With the powers of a priestess," Miroku explained as he stepped forward, his short hair swaying slightly in the light breeze, "You should be able to sense the jewel if we get close enough."

"But how do you know it's even in the city?" Kagome asked him confused. It really didn't look like they had much to go on.

"Because Naraku's here," Sango answered simply, as she tied her long hair up to keep it out of her face. "If he's here and causing trouble, there has to be a reason."

"Ok," Kagome said slowly. "I think _that_ I get it. But what about the others?"

"They're in another team," Kirara said coolly. "They're looking for Naraku."

Kagome heard Inuyasha give a snort and she knew that he wanted to be looking for Naraku instead.

"So… what can I do?" she asked them.

Miroku turned and led the way to the side of the building. "If we are anywhere near the jewel, then you should be able to sense it."

"You mean like a sixth sense?" she asked, pulling her collar up to protect her face as it slowly started to snow.

"Something like that," he answered looking back at her as he stood with his back to the edge. "As soon as we get the jewel, it will draw Naraku out… that will be our once chance to finish him off."

"But we only have a couple months' right?" Kagome asked him in concern. "You think that you can do all this in such a short time?"

"Well, you know the saying? Nothing ventured, nothing gained," he gave her a cocky grin. He then leaned backwards and fell off the building; with a shout of annoyance, Inuyasha took off running with Kagome still on his back and they followed with Sango, Kirara, and Shippo all behind them.

Onwards they went, jumping over buildings and almost flying through the air. Kagome clung to Inuyasha's back, as Shippo did the same for Miroku—she looked over Inuyasha's shoulder and smiled down at the city of lights.

And she gasped in wonder.

The evening sky was clear and full of stars with a large full moon shining, bathing everything in a low light. Kagome held to the boy tightly and so they carried on, jumping from one roof to another. Over the buildings and the few streetlamps, the wind blowing so hard that it was whistling in Kagome's ears, but soft enough that it was like it was singing her a lullaby.

As they jumped, it could almost be called flying, everything swirled around them in a colorful… well… blob at the edge of her vision. She held onto the long hair, feeling safer than she ever had in her life and allowed him take her as far away as possible from her room.

At first, everything seemed to be so fuzzy and pixelly, like a computer screen when you look too close. Still, no point in denying it, it was gorgeous. The many colors zoomed and whirled in shapes that range from spirals to jelly beans, circles to arcs. The glimmering shapes looked like little presents, covered with that shiny paper.

It was almost like a dream…

*Later*

After traveling over most of the city; they stopped to rest underneath a large tree, in a small park, Kagome wrapping her coat even tighter around her as she turned towards the others.

"Well?" Miroku asked, looking a bit winded as he glanced at her. "Did you feel anything?"

'_Yes,'_ Kagome thought almost dreamily. _'Happiness… but nothing that would help you.'_

"No," she finally said in disappointment. "At least nothing unusual. I don't know what's supposed to happen… but I didn't feel any differently than normal."

Miroku didn't look surprised. "No," he sighed. "The jewel had been missing for centuries. So we can't expect it to show up all of a sudden tonight."

"I thought as much," said a unfamiliar voice that seem to come from above them.

Her friends all jumped and spun around, Inuyasha grabbing her and forcing her behind them—his eyes scanning the area, crouching low as if expecting a fight. "What is it?" Kagome whispered, trying hard not to sound scared—looking for where that voice came frome. But they didn't answer her as they all looked up. Kagome followed her gaze and gasped again at what she saw. Floating on what looked to be a giant feather was a woman. A young woman who had thick, dark hair tied up in a sloppy bun, and piercing red eyes that went along with a rather smug grin.

"Inuyasha…" she smirked evilly. "It's been awhile hasn't it?"

"Kagura," Inuyasha answered with venom.

Kagome had no idea who she was, but she had a pretty good guess who she worked for. "Who is she?" she whispered to him.

"Kagura, one of Naraku's servants," he hissed back. "So, whatever happens, stay behind me, Kagome."

"Right," she answered, having no interest in fighting as she kept her eyes on Kagura.

Kagura noticed her and smirked when she saw her. "So… this is the human girl that you've become so attached to. Funny… I expected someone a little bigger."

"You go at a problem with me?" Kagome yelled back. Inuyasha gave her a sharp look as she felt Shippo hiding behind her legs.

"Look!" Inuyasha snarled back up at her. "It's none of your business. Why don't you do something useful for once and tell us where your master is?"

"He's not here right now," she answered, and Kagome couldn't help but notice that her voice sounded a little extra bitter, and her grin faded slightly. "But I'm not here for you. I'm here for her." She pointed towards Kagome and she froze.

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted. "You want her, you'll have to take her over my dead body."

"Relax," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not here to fight or kidnap anyone. I'm merely dropping off a message."

"What?" Kagome called up suspiciously.

Kagura then threw something down to her—it looked like a roll of cloth. Kagome watched as it fell to the ground and Sango caught it.

"If you want to fine Naraku," Kagura said with a smile. "You have two hours to meet him at Shoun Falls if you want your friend back in one piece. He's alive for right now… but…" she grinned. "Who knows how long that'll last?"

And then with a great gust of wind, so strong that it almost blew them all backwards, she flew away.

"Damn," Inuyasha snarled almost dog-like. "I hate her. But what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said looking at him. "Naraku's giving us two hours to meet him someplace? Inuyasha, it's obvious a trap."

"Duh," Inuyasha said annoyed. "I know that! But if this is a chance to rip out his throat, I'm not gonna complain!"

"But what did she mean?" Shippo asked as he climbed up to sit on Kagome's shoulder. "What friend? You don't think that he got Kohaku or Rin or…" he trailed off as Sango unwrapped the packaged.

Kagome gasped in horror… it was Sota's coat.

"That's SOTA'S!" she screamed and ran forward and tugged it away to get a better look at it.

"Who's…?" Miroku began but Kagome looked up at them in panic.

"Sota! My little brother!" Kagome said in panic, now looking around her, as if looking for a sign to tell her where to go. "That bastard, Naraku!" she screamed, tears falling down her face. "He's got my brother! He has him! I'm going! I have to get him back before he does something to him! I…"

She burst out in tears and Inuyasha put his hands on her shoulders. "Kagome…" he began but she turned and walked away.

"Kagome you can't," Sango said quickly.

"I have to," Kagome yelled back at them, now angry at them for getting her and Sota involved in this. "I have to find him before Naraku…"

"We know," Inuyasha cut her off. "We want a piece of Naraku to you know. You're going to meet him, we're coming with you."


	31. No Place for Children

_**Chapter Twenty-eight: No Place for Children **___

_*Sota*_

Sota woke up feeling cold and his head pounding. Blinking in confusion he stayed where he was for another minute as he slowly regained control of his limbs.

He slowly raised his head and looked around; he was shivering so badly that he was afraid that he might bite his tongue off from his chattering teeth. He seemed to be in some room made of dark stone and no windows… where was he?

"Hello, little boy," said a dark voice. Sota jumped and looked around to see that a man with long, hair and red eyes was looking at him hungrily.

"W-w-who are y-you?" he stuttered from both fear and cold before moved backwards until he was pressed up against the wall. "I'm w-warning you! D-don't come a-any c-c-closer!"

The man only laughed which caused Sota to curl up in a ball, fighting hard not to cry. Then the man spoke in a dark voice that sent shivers down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold, "Don't worry… I'm not going to kill you."

He came closer and, despite what he said, Sota closed his eyes and hugged himself tightly as if hoping to protect himself somehow. He then felt as if a block of ice touched the back of his neck and he let out a shriek of terror when he realized that it was the man's hand.

"First I need to get what I want from your sister… and I know that living bait will serve me better than a dead one. So for now… go to sleep…"

Sota then felt the hand grip his neck tightly, rubbing him of all breath before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and fell onto the floor with a muffled _'thunk'_.

The man only grinned as he turned his attention to the only door out of this room. The cold couldn't do a thing to him… but… he smiled. A human would most likely freeze to death in this room by morning.

He had sent Kagura with an invitation to Inuyasha and the others… including the girl who had the Sacred Jewel… now, he had to go and greet the players. He shut the door behind him, leaving the unconscious boy behind him… "Welcome to my pallor said the spider to the flies," he muttered to himself with another dark sneer.

Either way, this was going to be a fun game tonight.

_*Kagome*_

Kagome gripped the back of Inuyasha's shirt so tightly that she felt as if her knuckles were going to pop out of joint. She wanted to flee from reality, wanted to flee from this pain she felt inside of her chest. She felt as if she sinking into dark waves, unable to breathe anymore. She actually started coughing and clutched her chest as her lungs screamed for air.

"I can't believe this!" she said furiously, angry tears beginning to form in her eyes. Sota… her one and only little brother was kidnapped by vampires! And evil ones as well! Why did all this seem to be happening to her? Oh, this Naraku jerk better hope that he didn't do anything to her brother because if he hurt just one hair on his head, she was going to make him regret it if it was the last thing she did!

"Look, we'll find him, Kagome," Inuyasha called over the rush of wind. Kagome bit her lower lip as she held onto Sota's coat even tighter. Kagome hadn't felt any of the happy free feelings she did before whenever Inuyasha took her out; only fear and anger. She rubbed her eyes angrily as asked, "Shoun Falls? That's what Kagura said right? Isn't that an amusement park that closed down a while back?"

"An amusement park?" Shippo asked from behind them.

"It was," Miroku said thoughtfully, "But it's now a ghost town. It finally got so run-down that they had no choice but to shut it down so that they could work repairs on it. I hear that it's going to take a few years before they're able to get it up and running again."

"But why would Naraku be there?" Sango shouted over the roaring wind.

"Who would think to look for an evil vampire in an amusement park?" Kirara asked them. "Also, the construction workers are also postponing the repairs until winter is over. It's the perfect place to hide."

"So all we have to do is burst in, find my brother, and beat up Naraku? Easy right?" Kagome asked as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

Inuyasha smirked. That sounded like something he would say.

"I think that Inuyasha's a bad influence on you, Kagome," Miroku called, and she could tell that there was a slight smirk in his tone.

"I can act like that because my brother's in danger!" she snapped back. She hugged Sota's coat to her chest and thought, _'Sota, please be safe.' _She bit her lip so hard that she might've started bleeding again if she didn't remember that she was in the company of some thirsty vampires.

Onward they travelled until they were clear across town where the old amusement park now stood dark and empty. She barely had time to read the name over the rusted gate before Inuyasha leapt over it as if he had springs attached to his feet. They landed lightly and the others joined them the moment that Inuyasha let Kagome jump down.

"So," Miroku asked her seriously once they all gathered together, "What does your brother look like?"

"I know!" Shippo said raising his hand.

"What does it matter?" Kagome asked quickly as she looked around as if hoping that he would come running out to join her. "He's most likely the only other human here! He's about ten years old and he's got black eyes and hair."

She looked at this living nightmare in front of her—she used to come to this park all the time when she was little with her family, but being here in the middle of the night with all the lights off and no people around showed her just how creepy it could be. She almost didn't recognized it as she looked at the warped shapes of the darkened rides and stands, the way that the wind made everything creak sinisterly. This looked more like a horror movie and was half expecting a zombie hoard to come crawling out.

She shivered as she moved slightly closer to Inuyasha and they began walking forward into the park.

Shippo was still clinging to Miroku's shoulder and he gulped, "What a creepy, place. This is a amusement park?"

"I agree with you there, Shippo," Miroku said as he looked at the broken horse heads from what was once a carousal. Kagome looked at the broken tracks for the rollercoaster that towered above them as Sango glanced at the shattered mirrors in front of a House of Mirrors.

This was definitely not the kind of place you would want to take small children.

"Jeez, Naraku, could you have picked a more haunte-looking place?" Kirara asked as they stepped over some shards of glass and broken wood.

"Well, if you're a vampire, it's probably the best place to hide if you're looking to scare people," Sango reasoned. "Second only to Dracula's castle. I mean… this empty place is creepy even during the day."

Kagome was hardly listening as she kept her eyes wide open and looked around so often, that she felt like an owl.

"Kagome, we'll find him," Sango assured her gently. "But he's not going to be in the open where we can see him."

"You can smell him right?" Kagome asked quickly as she spun to look at them. "His blood I mean, right?"

"The problem is that we also smell other vampires," Inuyasha grunted. "And they all reek so bad that they're overpowering everything else." None of them dare tell her this, but the truth was that these vampires also reeked with human blood.

They stayed close together, not looking over any little thing that moved. The darkness seemed to be pressing in around them… and then at last…

They heard a dark chuckle from above. They stopped dead in their tracks and Kagome looked up at once to see that someone was standing up on the rollercoaster that she had glanced at not five minutes ago. There, silhouetted against the crescent moon, was a tall man with long, black hair blowing in the wind. He was smiling in a way that sent shivers up her spine… but she was mesmerized by fear at his eyes… a blood-red that shown like rubies that had been dipped in blood.

She heard Inuyasha growling as he positioned himself so that he was standing right in front of her protectively. "Naraku!" he yelled up with such venom that she wouldn't have been surprised if he suddenly started spitting poison.

Kagome's anger soared as well and she shouted, "So you're Naraku? Where's my brother? I swear if you've hurt a single hair on his head you're going to be sorry!"

Naraku sneered down at her. "Oh? So you must be the reincarnation of the priestess that I've heard so much about."

"How do you know about her?" Miroku demanded and Kagome realized that her friends had formed a tight circle around her to hide her from view.

Naraku smiled widely, his fangs glistening in the darkness. "Oh, I have spies all over the place. It really wasn't too hard to figure out to be honest."

"What about my brother!" Kagome repeated, not feeling fear or cold at the moment… just a pulsing anger pounding in her veins.

"Oh, he's fine for now," Naraku assured her. "We haven't done a thing to him… yet…"

Kagome gritted her teeth. "Where is he?" she screamed up at him.

"I'm afraid that if you want him back so badly, you'll have to find him," Naraku smirked. He held his arms out wide and said, "Let's think of it as a game shall we! You find your brother and escape to win! If you can't find him by the time the sun rises, you both will die! Sounds like fun don't you think?"

"You're as sick as always," Sango yelled in disgust. "Still treating innocent people as if they're nothing but pawns in your game world!"

He only laughed which caused them all to become even more enraged. "And what of it? Life is a game, I simply prefer to play it my way. I'm not lying however, the kid you seek is here at Shoun Falls. Of course, you will have to defeat all of my soldiers to do so. They're all hidden here…" he looked at her and Kagome knew that he was talking directly to her. "Unless of course you want to give me the Sacred Jewel now and be spared the trouble."

Kagome blinked. The jewel? But she didn't have it? What was he playing at?

"What are you…?" she began, but Miroku put his hand on her shoulder.

"No," he whispered so quietly she almost didn't hear him. "That's why he's doing this. He thinks that we already have the jewel… as long as he thinks that, then he won't kill you or Sota. But the second he realizes you don't, he won't feel the need for a game."

At that, Kagome immediately shut her mouth, but she wasn't at all happy about this.

"You haven't changed a bit!" Inuyasha yelled up. "Why don't you face me like a man instead of hiding behind all your plans and flunkies like a coward?"

"All in good time, Inuyasha," Naraku smiled at him. "Oh, and speaking of which… I see that I'm not the only one. Why else would you be here with that guilty conscience of yours?"

Inuyasha roared with rage and went charging ahead.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed and made to follow, but the others held her back. Inuyasha jumped up so hard and fast it was as if he was flying. Kagome held her breath as he reached Naraku, slashed at him with his claw…

Only for the evil vampire to disappear. Inuyasha's claws attacked only air and she heard him let out another roar of rage.

Suddenly, she heard Naraku's voice speaking again. She spun around, trying to get some kind of a glimpse at him, but couldn't see a trace of where he was. "But as in all games, I will be kind enough to give you a hint… the boy is hidden in a place where it's only a matter of time before his life draws ever nearer to the end. That is your hint… happy hunting."

And just like that… he was gone.

Breathing hard as if she had run a mile, Kagome looked at the others and said quickly, "What did he mean?"

"He must be talking about one of the rides and attractions," Miroku said at once.

"No duh, you idiot," Sango said firmly. "The question is where? Naraku could've hidden him anywhere in this park! And there's no shortage of hiding places."

"N-no idea," Shippo stuttered, hiding behind Miroku as if he was a shield.

"Look," Inuyasha said unusually rushed, as he jumped back down to join them. "Naraku said we have to find the kid before the sun rises right? What time is it now?"

Sango checked her watch, "It's almost 2 in the morning."

"The sun doesn't usually rise until five or six," Miroku said at once anxiously. "That's not a lot of time."

"We'll just have to check the whole park then," Inuyasha said at once. "If I can get close enough to him, I'm sure that I can pick up his scent."

"I don't think that'll work, Inuyasha," Kirara said hurriedly. "I'm sure that Naraku thought that out—he knows us well by now. And what about his guards and traps? They could be anywhere couldn't they?"

"If we can't deal with his servants after five hundred years then we have no hope of beating Naraku," he snapped back. "Just break up into teams and search the park. If we see any of his servants, just deal with them! We have to hurry!"

"He's right," Miroku grunted.

"Great," Inuyasha said as he grasped Kagome by the hand, "Come with me, Kagome."

"Inu…?" Kagome began, but before she could finish, he pulled her onto his back and they hit the ground running.

"Look, I'm sorry for getting you involved in our problems," he told her as they sprinted past a broken Dunk Tank and a Velcro Wall. "I promise that I'll find your brother and get you both home."

"Thanks, I know you will, Inuyasha," Kagome said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. But something was bothering her. What did Naraku mean about Inuyasha's guilty conscience? And why did Naraku think that she had the jewel? If his spies were as good as he said they were, then wouldn't he know already that they didn't have it?

But rather than dwell on that, she shook her head out of her dark thoughts. She would worry about that once they saved Sota.

**(Sorry for the long wait, but I hope that it was worth it as always. So where do you think he is? Anyone have any guesses or ideas. And to those who have been asking, yes, I've moved my 'Discovering the Legend' series to a new site. It's written on my profile if you want to know where it is. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll get it updated as soon as I can.)**


	32. Not so amusing Amusement Park

_**Chapter Twenty-nine: Not so amusing Amusement Park **_

Inuyasha and Kagome were both running past the countless abandoned booths, where they were just starting to be repainted and fixed up. Kagome stared all around her, trying to see if Sota could be hidden in any one of them. He could be anywhere! All of these rides and houses were big enough to hide a little boy.

"It'll be alright," Inuyasha told her as they jumped over some limber and past the construction of the tea cup rides. "I'm sure that we can find him before it's too late."

"But what if we don't?" Kagome gasped tearfully, still hugging Sota's coat. "Why did this have to happen?"

"Look," Inuyasha told her firmly, "I promise that we'll find him. Now what was it that Naraku told you again?"

She sniffled and said, "He said that _Sota 'is hidden in a place where it's only a matter of time before his life draws ever nearer to the end.' _That's it."

Inuyasha made a noise of annoyance. "That's just like him. To have a stupid riddle to drive us crazy. The jerk."

"So where do you think he is?" she asked. "He has to be somewhere in this park, someplace where Naraku will be able to keep a close watch on the kid… someplace that we would never think to look. Damn, alright what time is it?"

Kagome glanced at the miniature clock tower in the distance. "About 2:42 if the clock tower is still working right," she told him. "We're running out on time."

He gritted his teeth. "Well, we'll just have to tear this whole place upside down until we find him. And I think I know where to start…"

They both ran forward, in the direction of, if Kagome's memory was working right, the haunted house.

_*Miroku and Shippo*_

"Hey! Look at what I found…" Shippo stated as he started picking something up. Shippo and Miroku both were looking around the kiddy park, where the rides for little kids were. Miroku looked back to see him holding a small toy top that had been left in one of the many abandoned stands, apparently a prize from long ago. Several worn-out wooden cutouts without faces were still standing, most of the funhouse mirrors positioned along the side of the pathway they were on was disorientating their reflections, and the stands were easy to climb into. There seemed to be no sign of any human or even a vampire enemy.

"Look at me! I am Muscle Man!" Shippo called in one of the wooden cutouts, which happened to be a ridiculously muscled man flexing his biceps in the circle

Miroku gave him a sharp look. "We aren't here to be playing around! Someone's life is in danger, Shippo. Snap out of it."

Though he couldn't help but think of Sango as the girl in the bikini next to him. Shippo mumbled an apology as they continued through the kiddy park. "You really think that Sota's here?" Shippo asked after a few minutes of searching.

"We have to start somewhere," Miroku said looking at the clock tower. "Damn, we're just wasting time running around in circles." Just as he was beginning to think that they would have to leave and start searching the rest of the park; because wandering around here without the slightest clue where to…

Suddenly, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up… he stopped dead and watched something move from the corner of his eye. _'Looks like we're not alone anymore,'_ he thought, his hands tightening, readying himself for a fight.

"Shippo?" he called and the little boy looked up. "Be on guard. We're being watched."

Shippo froze in panic before he went to go and hide behind Miroku's leg when just at that moment, a voice said, "Not too bad, monk. Your senses are as sharp as ever."

They looked up to see a vampire in the form of a young child smiling down at them. Miroku's eyes narrowed and he said coldly, "Hakudoshi."

Hakudoshi smiled only wider. "Nice to see you to monk. It's been awhile," he told him.

"Yes, it has," Miroku said turning to him, his voice cold. "However, I'm afraid that we're a little short on time at the moment. You hidden a little boy here in the park somewhere right? Where is he?"

Hakudoshi merely titled his head to the side. "You mean the runt that we snatched? Sorry, can't help you there."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Shippo yelled, still hiding mostly behind Miroku's legs. "You kidnapped him and won't tell us where!"

This time Hakudoshi started to laugh. "No, I can't tell you because I don't know where myself where the brat is. Only Naraku does… and well, you have to get through me to find him."

"Is that all?" Miroku asked lightly taking a few steps forward. "Well, in that case…" He held up his fist and called out, "Prepare yourself for the afterlife!"

Hakudoshi raised his eyebrows. "Nice threat, monk." He then leapt up into the air, falling towards him—his fangs bared—"Now let's see if you can back it up!"

_*Sango and Kirara*_

Sango and Kirara were both looking in the House of Mirrors—keeping their eyes opened and breathing in every scent they could find—hoping that they could find some trace of Sota. However all they could pick up was the smell of vampires and the lingering trace of the human construction workers who had abandoned this place for the winter.

"You know, I always hated the House of Mirrors," Kirara said, stepping over the broken shards of what was left of this empty house. "It's creepy and makes me claustrophobic."

"I can't argue with that," Sango said, her senses ready to pick up every little sound around her. She sighed, looking around at all the broken mirrors, easily able to find their way through the dark. Just by following the small trail where the footsteps of countless people have stepped.

"You know, whoever broke all these mirrors would have at least a thousand years of bad…" Sango commented lightly, as she bent over to get a better look at a couple of normal mirrors that were lying around.

"Hopefully it's Naraku," Kirara asked gloomily. "I mean, he's pulled a lot of terrible stunts in the past, but doing all this to a little kid? That's just evil."

"I know," Sango sighed again. She understood how Kagome felt. After all, if it had been her brother who had been taken from her and needed her help, she would've torn down every single building in this place to get him back.

Kirara shook her head in a more determined way. "We only have a few hours to find the boy right? We can't afford to waste a second. Now if you were Naraku, where would you hide a prisoner?"

"Knowing Naraku, someplace where he can keep a close watch on," Sango answered. "Someplace where only he could…"

But before she could finish speaking, at that moment, she saw something moving in one of the broken shards on the floor and she stopped dead and spun around.

"What is it?" Kirara asked, tensing up at once and crouched low, ready for attack. That was when the figure of a face appeared on the many shards, making it look as if there were thousands of the same face looking down at them. The face with long white hair, and emotionless black eyes…

Kanna was here.

"Kanna!" Sango yelled. "Show yourself!"

No answer came… of course, they both knew that Kanna had always been the strong, silent type. They stood there—back-to-back—readying themselves for anything that Kanna had to throw at them.

For a few minutes not a single sound could be heard, other than their soft breathing, waiting… and then…

"Give me your soul," said a soft, emotionless voice.

_*Inuyasha and Kagome*_

It was the creepiest place she had ever been.

"Maybe it might not be such a good idea to go to the haunted house after all…" Kagome reasoned, still staring at the park sign. Now, as the haunted house of the park, it's supposed to look like the creepiest place in the whole park, but after falling apart, seeing it in the middle of the night, with vampires watching them from who know where, it only made it so much worse. A sign with _'The Haunted Manor'_ scrawled in large cursive letters lay across the entrance, adding a more desolate feel to the place.

She had turned around, this place looked as if it would have been a nice family place for a Sunday afternoon. There were several attractions, a decent sized Ferris wheel, what looked to be a carousel and even bumper cars to their far left. It's sad to see how a place that had once been so thriving and full of light and sound. Now it was dark and gloomy, no lights were turned on, nothing to signal this had ever been a thriving amusement park.

Inuyasha appeared next to her. "This is the best guess to where Sota could be," his voice sounded somewhat eerie in the dead silence of the park. His voice echoed slightly around them—she couldn't hear anything else, not even the slight chirp of a cricket or scurrying of rats. Not that she wanted to hear rats, of course, but dead silence wasn't exactly encouraging either. Whatever was in the park watching them, she just knew that this was the scariest thing to ever happen to her.

But if they have Sota, what else could they do?

So, cautiously, she began to take a few timid steps up the stairs to the entrance of the Haunted Manor. But as Inuyasha started to follow, he stopped dead, his ears twitching wildly.

"What is it?" she asked him worriedly.

"Get behind me," he said at once and without waiting for an answer, he grabbed her by the arm until he was standing in front of her protectively.

She looked over his shoulder, to try and see what had alerted him, but she couldn't see anything… at least until she saw his head jerk upwards to the roof of the haunted house. She followed his gaze to see that a young man was standing there in the shadows of the broken-down roof.

Inuyasha growled and stood in front of her to shield her from the man. "Byakuya," he growled, "You got three seconds to tell us where you hid the kid."

The vampire called Byakuya came out of the shadows and she could see his pale face and his black hair that was tied into a long ponytail. "Hey, Inuyasha. Nice to see that you're still in great shape after all this time."

Kagome felt anger boiling inside her at that smug smirk on his face. "Where's my little brother?!" she demanded of him.

He sighed, "Look, I'm only here to get the jewel. Naraku said that it you hand it over to me right now, then he'll give you the kid back."

Kagome wanted nothing more than to tell him that she didn't have it, but right now, she would hold onto anything to get Sota back. "Give me my brother and I'll give it to you!" she called to him.

Inuyasha shot her a warning look and muttered, "Be careful what you say to him. Naraku isn't known for keeping his promises…" He then looked back up to Byakuya and said, "Just tell us where the boy is and we'll go get him ourselves. If not, then I'll be more than happy to beat the truth out of you."

"Not that it would help you out there," Byakuya answered coolly. "After all, Naraku's the one who hid it. We're only here because we want our chance to fight you."

"Well, if that's all," Inuyasha hissed, he pushed Kagome backwards, "Stay away from here," he told her quickly. "Stay in my sight at all times though… I'll keep you safe."

Kagome nodded, "I know you will."

They looked up to Byakuya who was still grinning broadly. "Just promise me that you'll be alright… and that you'll take him out."

This time it was Inuyasha who smirked. "Of course…"

**(Sorry for taking so long. But I'm back in school now. I know that the chapter's short, but I really hope that you enjoyed it.)**


	33. Right in Front of Them

_**Chapter Thirty: Right in Front of Them**___

_*Miroku and Shippo*_

"Is that all?" Miroku asked lightly taking a few steps forward. "Well, in that case…" He held up his fist and called out, "Prepare yourself for the afterlife!"

Hakudoshi raised his eyebrows. "Nice threat, monk." He then leapt up into the air, falling towards him—his fangs bared—"Now let's see if you can back it up!"

Miroku dodged him narrowly, and rolled to the side, Shippo screaming as he clung onto his shoulder.

"You ok back there, Shippo?" he called as the little fox clung to his back.

"Y-y-yeah…" Shippo stuttered.

"Touching, Monk," Hakudoshi smiled as he jumped into the air again, "Though you should really be looking after yourself!"

Miroku reached into his pocket and pulled out some sutras and threw them high into the air—as soon as they came near Hakudoshi, there was an electrical pulse shooting out, hitting Hakudoshi and trapping him in a ball of energy.

"Yes!" Shippo called out happily, but Hakudoshi smirked as he let his own energy shoot out, breaking the sphere, which shattered like diamonds.

Miroku grinded his teeth together. It had been years since the two of them last battled, and he was as annoying as ever. He then reached into his front pocket and pulled out his signature prayer beads and charged forward. "I may be vampire!" he cried out, "But don't forget that I still have all my spiritual powers from when I was human!"

He then jumped up high until he was eye level with Hakudoshi. "This won't end like our last battle."

"Ah yes," he smirked back as Shippo was screaming all the while, "I remember… it was about ten years ago when we last fought right? I seem to recall that I won that fight."

"Nice try," Miroku smiled evilly back. "But if you had won, I'd wouldn't still be alive now right? It ended in a draw and we both know it."

Hakudoshi cocked his head in amusement, "Perhaps you're right…" An evil, red glint appeared in his eyes and he cried out, "Then why not finish it here?"

He charged forward in mid-air, a demonic aura around his body as he came. Seeing what was coming, Mirkou ducked just in time as Hakudoshi came flying over him—missing him by inches. Miroku hit the side of a ride before he twisted his body around and came flying back, ready for round two. Well, there was one good thing about being a vampire… much easier to fight.

Hakudoshi spun around and also made a jumping leap, coming right back for him. Miroku held up his arm in time to block a swipe, Shippo was now crying as he clung onto his back, begging for Miroku to stop and run.

Feeling the pain in his arm, which left a deep gash, Miroku tilted downwards and landed on the ground, while still trying to avoid Hakudoshi's next attack. He then grabbed Shippo and threw him until he landed about fifteen feet away in the teacup ride. Shaking from head to tail, Shippo poked the top of his head out from a chipped teacup as Miroku cried. "I need you to stay hidden for a little while Shippo!"

"You don't need to tell me twice," Shippo stuttered as he ducked down again.

Gritting his teeth, he turned back to his opponent and braced himself. Once more, he jumped up and started to clash one more with the vampire. Round and round they circled, hitting each other with a mixture of demonic and spiritual energy—neither one gaining or losing ground, but Miroku knew that he couldn't keep this up forever.

He then looked up at the clock tower to see that time was quickly running out. "Shippo!" he called. "You go and try to find Sota! I'll take care of this!"

Shippo jumped horribly at being called to in the heat of battle, but he remembered how funny and nice that Sota had been the day that they met, and how sad Kagome would be if something happened to him.

Gathering up his courage, he gulped and nodded. He then leapt out of the teacup and bolted away, racking his brains over where Sota would be. Miroku smiled as he turned back to Hakudoshi—ready for a fight.

Hakudoshi only gave him an evil grin and answered, "Try all you want… but the odds of you ever finding the boy before time runs out is slim to none…"

"Maybe," he answered as he turned sideways and crouched down. "But pulling off a miracle when the odds are against us is what we do best."

_*Sango and Kirara*_

For a few minutes not a single sound could be heard, other than their soft breathing, waiting… and then…

"Give me your soul," said a soft, emotionless voice.

Kirara sensed what was about to happen and dove on top of Sango to protect her just in time as all the mirrors around them shattered, breaking away like snowflakes.

Sango let out a cry of surprise as she gritted her teeth and waited. Just as soon as it started, it had stopped. Kirara looked up warily, as Sango forced her way to stand up, and glared around her. All the mirrors had been destroyed, so that the path had been easily revealed to them now.

"We're sitting ducks here," Kirara cried. "We have to get out into the open."

"Right," Sango agreed and they sprinted towards the exit which took no time at all. As soon as they burst through the door—there she was. Pale as the moon, her hair white as snow, and black eyes that were devoid of all emotion… Kanna.

Both girls glared at her. "I don't suppose that you'll be able to tell us where your master hid Sota?" Sango asked, though she already knew what kind of answer she will receive.

And sure enough, Kanna didn't answer her. She just looked at her… Kirara lost her patience and went charging ahead.

"Kirara!" Sango cried out. "No, don't forget about her…"

Too late, Kanna had created a barrier around herself, knocking Kirara flat on her back. With a back flip, Kirara was up again and ready for more. Sango came dashing past her, ready to fight as well. "Don't know why I bother trying to get a word out of you," she yelled just as Kanna's barrier had appeared again, shutting them out.

"I hate that barrier of hers," Kirara said to Sango in disgust.

"You and me both," Sango agreed. Kanna had been one of Naraku's first servants. Once she had been a normal human like the rest of them, but once Naraku got a hold of her, she had become nothing more than a lifeless puppet… at least that's what Naraku always bragged about anyway.

"How are we suppose to deal with her?" Sango whispered as she drew back, eyeing Kanna cautiously.

"Just be glad she hasn't pulled out that mirror of hers yet," Kirara whispered back. "Last time she used it, our attacks just came flying back remember?"

"How can I?" Sango grunted angrily, "And thanks for opening up an old wound." The last time she had picked a fight with Kanna, she had been beaten to a pulp…

They looked at her dead eyes and thoughts began to erupt in their minds… how to get past her defenses…?

_*Inuyasha and Kagome*_

"Well, if that's all," Inuyasha hissed, he pushed Kagome backwards, "Stay away from here," he told her quickly. "Stay in my sight at all times though… I'll keep you safe."

Kagome nodded, "I know you will."

They looked up to Byakuya who was still grinning broadly. "Just promise me that you'll be alright… and that you'll take him out."

This time it was Inuyasha who smirked. "Of course…"

He then leapt up with a literal spring in his step, easily reaching Byakuya and tried to punch him, only his opponent only gently side-stepped him so that Inuyasha only ended up attacking the air. Kagome bit her lower lip as she watched in terror.

With a swift kick from behind, Byakuya sent Inuyasha flying back to the pavement. With a sickening crash, he had been able to twist in midair and landed on his feet, but the force of the kick still made his feet make two small craters in the concrete.

"Is that all you got?" Inuyasha called back up.

"Hmm," Byakuya smirked. "Seems that you improved your skills a little bit since the last time. Course, you'd have to be much better than that if you hope to beat me." He then jumped down with a graceful leap that Inuyasha dodged at once.

This went on for some time, each time that one would try to attack, the other would move back, trying to avoid it. It was like a dance, the two of them fighting and ducking around each other.

Inuyasha seemed to notice this too because, to Kagome's horror, he stood still for a brief second and allowed a punch to come and hit him in the gut.

Kagome gasped and cried out, "Inuyasha!"

That was when he grabbed hold of Byakuya's arm and twisted it, finally able to deal with a good right punch to the head. A bruise appearing where Inuyasha's fist made contact with the side of his face, Byakuya grimaced as he pulled his arm free and jumped back.

"I'm fine, Kagome!" Inuyasha called out, one hand on his gut, the other one still clenched tightly into a fist. "Just stand back and watch the master!"

Kagome shook her head. Honestly, what a braggart he was.

"Kagome!" yelled a familiar voice. She turned where she stood and little Shippo was running towards her on all fours.

"Shippo!" she called back and went running forward so that he had been able to jump into her arms. As he clung to her, she looked around. "Hey where's Miroku, Sango, and Kirara?" she asked quickly. She knew at once that she said the wrong thing.

Shippo's whole body froze in fear and he stammered out, "M-Miroku! He's… he's…"

"He's what?" Kagome demanded at once, panic in her heart. "What happened to him?"

"He's fighting Hakudoshi!" Shippo called out.

Now Kagome had no idea who or what Hakudoshi was, but judging from the terrified look on Shippo's face, he was clearly bad news.

"Who's Hakudoshi?" she asked at once.

"O-one of N-Naraku's vampires," he stuttered again. "He told me to run while he dealt with him."

Fear gripped her heart as she looked back at Inuyasha. Shippo had just noticed who he was fighting as well because he screamed and yelled out, "It's Byakuya!"

"I take it you know him?" Kagome asked, refusing to take her eyes off Inuyasha.

At the sound of his name, Byakuya looked up, and he smirked at Shippo, who froze in fear and buried his head in Kagomes's coat. Inuyasha looked back at the pair of them before he turned to face Byakuya again, moving so that he stood right in front of the pair of them, "You want them? You gotta get through me first!"

"Inuyasha," she whispered. _'Sota…'_ she then added in a thought. She looked wildly around her, trying to figure out where her brother was. She had to get him out of here… she knew that the two of them were the liabilities here. So long as they were here, they would only get in the way.

"Where is he?" she whispered, glancing at the clock tower again… what did Naraku say? Sota was_ hidden in a place where it's only a matter of time before his life draws ever nearer to the end._

What was that supposed to mean? How was that a clue? Damn it, she shut her eyes and screwed up her thoughts… what was with vampires and riddles? First Inuyasha, then Naraku… there must be something there…

She went over what Naraku said again and again…

_Hidden in a place where it's only a matter of time before his life draws ever nearer to the end._

_A place where it's only a matter of time before…_

_Where it's only a matter of time…_

_A matter of time…_

_Time…_

Her eyes slowly looked up to the clock tower again… and suddenly it hit her like a rock of bricks. In a place where they could clearly see, but is hidden… yes… it couldn't be any other place… if she was right, then they had been looking at Sota's prison this whole time!

"Inuyasha!" she screamed as she turned to look at him, Shippo digging himself tighter in her coat. "I think I know where he is! I know where Sota is!"

Inuyasha glanced back at her and cried out, "You did? Where?"

She pointed behind her at the clock tower… "He's there! He has to be! 'In a place where it's only a matter of _time_…' Time is the clue! And where is the one place in this whole park that is associated with time? The tower! It has to be there!"

Inuyasha turned back to Byakuya and grinned. "You hear that?"

Byakuya just smiled serenely back at him and said, "So you figured it out? Yes, Naraku's keeping the kid up there… but don't forget, just figuring out the hiding place is only half the battle. Getting there before the boy dies is the real challenge."

That was when a dark shadow appeared right behind Inuyasha… what happened was over so quickly that Kagome didn't see what happened, but the next thing she saw was that Inuyasha was on the ground—and sickly black substance covering his back…

And with a feeling of pure terror, she realized that black stuff… was vampire blood… Inuyasha's blood.

**(What do you think? Hope you enjoyed it. But what happened to Inuyasha? Who attacked him? And now that they know where Sota is can they get to him in time? Find out soon!) **


	34. Broken Glass

_**Chapter Thirty-one: Broken Glass**_

*Kagome*

That was when a dark shadow appeared right behind Inuyasha… what happened was over so quickly that Kagome didn't see what happened, but the next thing she saw was that Inuyasha was on the ground—and sickly black substance covering his back…

And with a feeling of pure terror, she realized that black stuff… was vampire blood… Inuyasha's blood.

"Inuyasha!" she screamed as she stepped forward.

But a dark shadow appeared in front of her.

"You can't outrun your occupation, Kagome," said a teasing voice.

Kagome stepped back, knowing who it was.

"Just what the hell do you want with me, Naraku!?" she demanded, hugging the child vampire to her chest.

As Naraku stepped into the shadowy moonlight, she could see his horrible red eyes leering at her through the darkness. "Hiding from me one place, you'll find me in another."

"Old-fashioned aren't you?" she asked coldly. "That sounds like something you get from a bad play."

He chuckled. "Personally," he grinned. "I think that the world has gotten so terribly, terribly old." He threw something at her feet. "Please consider it a gift…"

She gulped. It was a rose he threw… but it was as black as the night… she knew what it meant… Sending black roses to someone indicates the death.

"What do you want with me?" she demanded, trying not to show the fear in her tone. Suddenly, Inuyasha was back on his feet and had run to stand right in front of Kagome and Shippo, facing Naraku with the blood pouring down his face.

*Inuyasha*

Inuyasha had come close to dying plenty of times before. And he had also fought for his life before… but now with Kagome… the idea of her getting hurt made him feel that he couldn't breathe anymore.

'_Why did I do that?' _he thought to himself angrily._ 'How could I let Naraku catch me off my guard like that and leave him able to kill Kagome?'_

"Kagome!" he yelled throwing out an arm to shield her from the two vampires. "You and Shippo get out of here!"

"You're crazy if you think that I'm just going to run off while you fight them!" she yelled, Shippo now crying into her coat.

"You both are just in the way," he told her firmly, still not looking at her.

"But…" she started to tell him, but he glared at her fiercely.

"GO!" he repeated with such force that she knew he was right. She hesitated, but nodded as she turned and ran towards the clock tower. Inuyasha stood there breathing hard, ready to fight to the death if he had to_. 'Why did I have to get cursed like this?'_ he thought to himself. _'Why did I have to get bitten?'_

And to his horror, as if he knew what he was thinking, Naraku smirked and asked, "Because that's just the way you are."

Inuyasha was startled, but got over it quickly as he glared back at him angrily. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

"The expression on your face said it all," he began in that sickeningly calm voice. He paused for a moment.

"That is none of your business!" Inuyasha snapped aggressively at him. "Just hurry and get lost, you already did enough."

"Inuyasha. I can see it in your eyes. You're scared…" he grinned.

Inuyasha was outraged. "Scared?! Scared of what?! Of you?! Please! I've seen fleas scarier than you!"

Naraku just smirked wider and started to walk around Inuyasha. "Yes of me… but not for your own life."

"What do you mean you son of a-" Inuyasha began, until Naraku interrupted him. "Being a vampire isn't a curse. See it more as a blessing. We can live forever, we have no worries in life, and best of all we get to see others suffer."

"This isn't a blessing Naraku. It's a nightmare. And I want out," he growled, sounding more like a dog than human. "I never asked for this!"

"Well like it or not you can't change it. You are who you are forever. So you might as well enjoy it," Naraku told him sinisterly.

"I rather be a human than ever turn into you!" he yelled.

"For what? To us, a hundred years is nothing at all," he asked. "But to a human, you're dead and gone within a century. Or is this because of your human friend?"

Inuyasha didn't reply, his breath hitched for a moment and that was what Naraku wanted.

"You can't be with her," he grinned evilly. "Not now, not ever. And even if you could, chances are that you most likely would endanger her and you two are just too different. Besides… you don't want what happened with your last beloved to happen her?"

"I don't care what you say! And I don't have to hear any more crap that comes out of your mouth!" Inuyasha yelled then ran off.

Naraku remained there for a few more seconds, smiling evilly. "You really love her don't you, Inuyasha. Well, this only makes things all the more interesting…"

Meanwhile Kagome was running as fast as she could go through the empty streets. Ignoring the shouts and occasional bangs around her, she skidded around a sharp corner until she saw a familiar figure running towards them.

"Kagome!" Miroku called—burnt and scratched, but thankfully alive. "So good to see you both are ok."

"Are you alright?" she asked when she came to a stop in front of him.

"Oh, I'm fine," he said gesturing towards the many scratches. "Just a few minor injuries. I've had worse."

"But what about Hakudoshi?!" Shippo cried out.

"I didn't get a chance to kill him," Miroku said, sounding disappointed. "I'm ashamed of that, but at least I was able to deal him some serious injuries. I'm pretty sure that he's out of the fight for now."

"Miroku," Kagome said hurriedly as she pointed to the giant clock to the far left. "He's there! My brother! Sota's in the clock tower!"

Miroku stared at her before he looked up to the same tower, "You sure?!"

"Yes," Kagome told him firmly. "He has to be there! We have to get to him fast!"

Miroku nodded. "Ok, let's go and find Sango and Kirara before we all head there and…"

But before he could finish, just then the sound of something large breaking into pieces was heard off in the distance.

"Who was that?" Kagome asked as Shippo screamed in terror.

"I don't know," Miroku replied staring off in the direction of dunk tanks, now moving so that he stood in front of her as well. "But we're not alone…" he told her, soft and quiet.

Just then from out in the distance, they saw two figures gliding out towards them.

"What the hell?" Miroku shouted in panic. "Kagome! Move!"

Kagome ducked as Miroku charged ahead. The vampires seemed to come from all directions, surrounding them.

"What do we do?" Kagome cried as Shippo screamed in terror. Just then there was a noise from the nearby stands. Kagome turned around to see Inuyasha bursting through.

"Inuyasha…" she cried out.

"Kagome, you shouldn't be here," he said hurried as he forced her head down as something came flying overhead.

Her fear turned right away to anger. "What?!" she screamed at him from the ground. "Of course I should be here! Sota's my brother!"

Inuyasha sighed. "I'll save the kid alright? But I want you to go Kagome, and don't come back. I won't be able to protect you anymore. You might get hurt, even worse than this."

"I… can't do that Inuyasha…" she said staring at him. Now what's happened? Kagome looked into his eyes. His beautiful eyes of his she adored so much. But they were bloodshot at the moment. His expression was saddened. "I…" she began, but that was when one of the stands blew into pieces as Inuyasha grabbed her and Shippo and jumped out of the way of the shrapnel.

"It's too late Kagome," Inuyasha interrupted looking down at her. "He'll take us all out, I know it. Nothing can stop him now."

"We have to do something to stop him—anything! It's just…" she cried.

"Kagome…" He spoke, picking her up and moving her to underneath a broken down ride, and out of harms way. "It's too late. But I promise you that I'll save you and Sota, okay?"

"Inuyasha… no," she gasped. "NO!" she shouted and grabbing his arm. "I won't let you do it, you're staying here with me!"

"You can't choose me over your family, Kagome," he snarled at her.

"I don't want to lose either one of you…"

"If I don't end this soon, your brother will die and once that is done there won't be anything you can do to save him," he snapped. "I'll be back alright?"

He then pulled himself free from her and took off again into the darkness. Hot tears were falling from her face. "Kagome?" Shippo asked quietly, not having a clue to what she and Inuyasha had said having been paying attention to the fight. "Are you ok?"

She didn't answer. The truth was that she was determined to save both Sota and Inuyasha somehow. But she didn't know where she could find the answers that would solve her problems. They felt out of reach, with no solution, no resolve.

_Sota…_

It killed her inside to see the once lively energetic and annoying brother of hers trapped here in the middle of this…

'_I'll find a way to save you,' _she thought hugging his coat again._ 'I promise. I won't let you die…_'

"Kagome…?" came a soft voice from behind. Kagome turned around to see Sango and Kirara running towards them.

"Sango!" she cried, panic gripping her as she saw the black blood dripping down from her arm. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live," she said, as she looked over to see that Miroku and Kirara were now fighting the two vampires. Kagome gasped. One of them was human size with long purplish-pink hair. But his eyes were empty… devoid of all intelligence and emotion. But the second one… he was small and looked like some kind of mutated snake and human. While his face was identical to the second vampire, his body was long and instead of hands, his arms looked like two sharp sickles.

"Juromaru and Kagerōmaru," Sango muttered, biting her lip. "Now you know that Naraku's desperate."

"What?" she repeated completely baffled.

"Those two," she said as she pointed to the fight. "Their names are Juromaru and Kagerōmaru. But not even Naraku can control them."

"Then why are they fighting us?" she asked as Kirara knocked Juromaru through another stand.

"Because they live to fight," she muttered in disgust. "Unlike the others, the big one Juromaru, doesn't have much intelligence, making him no more less than a simple-minded beast. However, he made up for it with great agility and strength, making him a match for even Inuyasha. The little ugly one is his twin brother called Kagerōmaru, who lives in his stomach."

"What?!" Kagome cried in disgust. "He lives in his stomach?!"

"Yeah, I know," she muttered. "And he's quite fast, unlike his twin brother Juromaru, Kageromaru is highly intelligent and the only one who could control his mindless brother, Juromaru."

She then saw Kagerōmaru create a long gash on Miroku's shoulder and she yelled, "Miroku! Hold on!" She leapt to her feet and charged forward, ready to fight.

*Meanwhile*

Inuyasha was jumping from ride to ride and finally climbing up a steep building. He trusted the others to look after Kagome, but the longer that she's here, the more danger she'll be in. He had to get the kid and her out of this battle. But with every step he made, he kept going over and over in his mind what Naraku said.

Was it possible that they couldn't be together? He was broken for sure. For years he had been searching for the one that can fix him - somewhere, anywhere. He had been searching in his thoughts, and in his mind, and in his dreams and soul and heart and consciousness… for someone who could put his heart back together.

And now he slowly started to heal. He didn't want to ever risk that… but so long as he was what he is, then he would be forced to sacrifice it. But it wasn't over. He looked up to see the sinking moon vaguely shining in the clock's face. There was still time to get everything…

With a great jump, he was able to get through the window, smashing it to pieces. Gasping for breath, he looked up and there he was… lying still as a ragdoll and cold as ice was the kid. He went over and felt his pulse… it was there… though faint. He looked hard at the kid, knowing that if he spent anymore time in this freezing tower, it could easily kill him. But just at that moment, the half-frozen boy looked up at him and screamed.

He wrenched his and away from him and scooted as far as he could to the other side of the tower.

"Relax," he told the kid. "I'm here to help."

"B-but y-y-yo-ou're all v-vampires!" the boy stuttered through chattering teeth. "Get a-away from m-m-me!"

"Look kid," he said getting angry, "We don't have time! We have to…" but as he took a step forward, the boy screamed in terror again and curled up into a tiny ball and cried. Losing patience, Inuyasha reached over and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him back to the broken window. Predictably the boy screamed and thrashed around, desperate to escape. "N-no! No! P-please don't th-th-throw me down there!"

"Would you shut up?" Inuyasha snapped. "I'm here because your sister asked me to."

At the mention of Kagome, Sota stopped struggling and looked up, tears in his eyes. "K-Kagome? You k-know my sister?"

"Yes," he said, glad to be getting somewhere. "I'm here to take you back to her. But if you keep going on like that, then I'll leave you hear you got it?"

Sota nodded meekly, his anger clearly scaring him. "Good," Inuyasha said throwing him up and onto his back. "Now hold on."

And then they jumped.

*Back to the battle*

The battle wasn't going well. Kirara was hurt, as Miroku and Sango were on either side of her, trying to protect her.

Kagome sat there, hunched down, hating herself for not being able to do anything else but watch. Then the one called Juromaru had succeeded in knocking Miroku off his feet and that was when Kagerōmaru made his move. He rose up into the air and fell towards Miroku like a bullet. "See you in hell, Monk!" he yelled, his sickle-like arms raised, the sharp blades shining.

"LOOK OUT!" Kagome screamed. Just when she thought that it was over for her perverted friend, something came flying over her head and kicked Kagerōmaru out of the way.

"Koga!" Kagome yelled, recognizing the figure overhead. It was Koga but he wasn't alone. With him were also Ayame and Kohaku all of them looking ready for a fight.

"We heard the fighting from a mile away and couldn't resist coming to the party," Koga yelled now sinking his fangs into Juromaru. Hope rising in her chest, she watched as they all battled each other, Shippo cheering them on all the way.

"Kagome!" yelled the one voice she wanted to hear the most. She spun around from where she crouched and there he was. His hair shining like the moon, his fangs barred… and a tiny figure was clinging to his back.

"Inuyasha!" she cried, and then she saw who was with him and she screamed out, "SOTA!"

Once they landed, Sota stumbled off from Inuyasha's back and staggered over to his sister. "Kagome!" he cried out, tears clung to his face from the cold. She hugged him tightly to her, running her hand through his thick hair, telling him over and over again that he would be ok.

"Oh, Sota," she gasped as she pulled out his coat and wrapped it tightly around him, "You're half frozen!"

"K-Kagome!" he stuttered, pointing to Inuyasha. "Y-you see? I-I told y-y-you! V-vampires are r-r-real!"

Kagome blinked before she let out a strangled laughed and hugged him tighter. "Ok," she whispered. "I'll say this only once… but you were right."

"You can save it all later," Inuyasha yelled grabbing the two humans and Shippo and sprinted to a new place. He then dropped them both back to the ground. "You both stay here," he commanded. "You should be safe. We'll come back for you as soon as we can."

"No! Inuyasha!" she gasped dropping both Shippo and Sota.

"S-Shippo?" Sota cried when he saw the little vampire.

"Ah, hey there, Sota!" Shippo said, trying to sound cheerful, but anyone could hear the fear in his tone. Kagome ignored them as she cried out softly, "Inuyasha."

He paused for a moment before he looked back at her. Inuyasha slightly turned his head. Kagome saw his fangs and took a step back. He had a mad expression on his face that Kagome didn't trust.

Not caring who else was here… not caring that her brother was watching, she ran forward and crashed her lips against Inuyasha's again. She could hear the boys gasp behind her, but her entire focus was on the desperate kiss again.

She could almost feel as if Inuyasha was forcing himself to return it before he pulled away.

Inuyasha looked away from her once they were apart. "I have to go. But I'll be back. Just… just stay here until I get back…"

"Wait," Kagome protested. "Don't go yet—"

But it was too late… he had already left her.

**(Good… I'm finally done with another chapter! I know I've been keeping you all waiting, I'm sorry, but I'm stuck with midterms and it hasn't been easy. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. And to those of you who have been asking, the prologue that you read here? That scene will be going up soon. Hope this chapter tides you over until then.)**


	35. To Love a Vampire

_**Chapter Thirty-two: To Love a Vampire**_

She stared off after him, trying to see where he had run off, to, but she might've tried to see through a brick wall for all the good it did. She crawled back under the ride with Shippo and Sota—who curled up with her as soon as she got close enough.

"Kagome," Sota whispered, staring at her in horror. "You just kissed a vampire!"

"Yes," she muttered truthfully as she pulled off her own coat and wrapping it around him. "I did."

"He has you under his spell!" he gasped.

"What spell?" Shippo asked curiously, his cute little fox ears twitching slight, "Inuyasha doesn't know any magic."

"And you're a vampire to?!" Sota croaked as he stared at the little fox.

"Yep," he muttered brightly. "Rin's one to!"

"Rin?" he croaked out, now hiding behind Kagome. "But she was so…"

"Sweet?" Kagome asked knowingly. "Forget everything you've seen in horror movies. The real ones aren't like that. For example, vampires do sleep, but they don't sleep in coffins, Sota," she said smiling.

"But…?" he gasped, clearly not having the slightest clue to what's going on here. Kagome sighed and pulled him tighter into her arms and decided to tell him everything.

"Sota, do you remember how sick I was after Halloween?" she asked. When he nodded, she said, "It was because Inuyasha bit me and took a lot of blood."

Sota's jaw dropped, pulling away from her slightly, as if he thought that she was going to suddenly attack him. "So you… you're a…"

"No," she answered, showing him her normal teeth. "Just because a vampire bites you doesn't make you a vampire yourself."

"But… but…" Sota cried, trying to make sense of all this. She curled up with him and told him everything. How she met Inuyasha and how he helped her last Halloween—how they became friends and now she's trying to help them break this curse.

Once she was finished, Sota stared at her. "Wow," he breathed. "So my sister's making out with a vampire."

She laughed. "Yes," she muttered, turning red. "But the point is, he may be a vampire, but he's a good one. He's never hurt me… at least not when he could help it. He's been very good to me. And all the others too. If not for them, we never would've found you and… oh, Sota," she cried, pulling him back into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry for getting you mixed up in all this."

His body was definitely warming up, but he was still shivering. She knew she had to get him home as soon as she could. But there were still no signs of the others. The park was as silent as a grave… the darkness seemed to press in on them from all sides and for some reason she felt that she was having trouble breathing.

But as she thought all this, Sota asked her, "I just can't believe that mom's letting you date a vampire."

When he saw her face turn red and look away he gasped, "You mean she doesn't _know_?"

"I can't tell her!" she told him firmly.

"You've got to tell her!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Right. And tell me, what am I supposed to tell her? _'Hey, mom! I've met a vampire and now I'm going out with him?' _Yeah, I'm sure that she'll take that."

"But she's always talking about you getting a boyfriend and giving her grandkids," he pointed out, almost teasingly.

"Yes, but I think she was expecting someone who's human," she reminded him bitterly. "But that's not the issue here. Listen, Sota. Please, please, _please_, you can't tell her or anyone else about this."

"Why do you keep saying that?" Shippo asked confused.

"Because not everyone will take to kindly to the fact that I'm helping you," she snapped. "Look, please you guys… I want to help you, I really do. If I'm able to help you, then you could turn back into humans!"

Shippo nodded. "Yeah, I'm tired staying as a kid."

He then went to go and stick his head out of the ride cautiously, as if trying to see if anyone else was coming. Kagome continued to hold Sota and then whispered, "If I can help them, Sota… then we can be together. But you've got to stay quiet until then ok? Will you do that for me?"

Sota opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, they heard an explosion. Sota yelled, and clung to her as she wrapped her arms around him protectively.

"What the…?" Kagome asked herself, getting ready for the worst.

"Kagome," called Miroku's voice, and she looked up to see that he was running towards them. "So good to see you found your brother."

"What is going on?" she asked, as Sota hid his face in her coat.

"It's ok, Sota," she told him at once. "This is Miroku, he's one of the good vampires who helped me find you."

"Pleasure to meet you," he said politely, but hurriedly to the young boy. As Sota slowly raised his head to look at him, Miroku turned to Kagome and answered, "We've got a good start here! We think we might be able to take some of them out! They took off once they lost their hostage. We have to go after them! I'm here to take you back."

"But you could get killed," she gasped as he picked them up and ran at high speed, up and out of the park.

"Don't worry about us," he muttered, almost flying as he jumped. He was fast, but he wasn't near as fast as Inuyasha was as the night air flew past them. "The other's are there fighting… I'll join them once I take you back to your house."

'_No! You must not! Please…' _she thought worriedly, as Sota was staring around them as he enjoyed the ride through the night. But as she looked to the horizon, she could see the very slim beam of light slowly beginning to peek it's head out. Dawn was almost here. She held onto Sota, who screamed whenever Miroku jumped, clearing the treetops easily.

"But what'll happen if you follow them?" Kagome yelled over the wind.

"Don't worry about us," he told her reassuringly. "We've fought them off before… and we aren't letting this chance to fight him slip by. I'll rejoin the others as soon as you both are home and safe."

"You-you're really taking us home?" Sota cried out, shutting his eyes in fear.

Miroku laughed gently. "Now, with all the trouble that we went through to find you, we aren't going to let anything happen to you now. Just hang on!" he ran along the roofs of several bungalows and trampled through a frost-covered garden. "We're almost there now…"

He was right, it didn't take him long to get them home—all too soon, the familiar house appeared in the distance, and Sota almost cried with relief. Miroku jumped to Kagome's window and she slid it open before she landed on her bedroom floor. She then turned around to take Sota. She had expected Shippo to stay with them, but Miroku had hold of the little fox's shirt and said, "Shippo? You and Rin are going to be staying home. Let's go!"

"See you later!" Shippo called as the two of them stood there.

"Wait!" Sota yelled after them, but instantly, they jumped—and disappeared just like that.

"Don't feel too bad," she told him, hugging him tightly. "They do that to me all the time."

"But…" he asked, still lost.

"Look," she said, brushing his bangs out of his face. "You're safe. Let's talk some more tomorrow and…"

But he didn't let go of her, he continued to hug her as if he thought she would disappear if he let her go. And so, she let him climb into the bed with her and she told him everything she hadn't been able to explain at the park. "I'm sorry for not telling you about him," she told him. "But I wasn't sure how to break it to you."

"Kagome?" Sota asked, his eyes drooping. "Do you lo…"

"Do I what?" she asked as he drifted off.

"Do—you…" but he was asleep—now that the shock had worn off and they were safe, his exhaustion had carried him off to sleep.

"Sleep," she told him softly, as she wrapped the blanket around him so more. "You're safe now."

*Later*

Kagome had just started to doze off when she heard him. Her eyes opened in time to see that the sun was rising into the sky, and Inuyasha was climbing into the room. She got out of bed without disturbing Sota, and ran over to him. "Inuyasha," she whispered, throwing herself into his arms.

She looked up into his face as he wrapped his strong arms around her. "Inuyasha…? But…what are you doing here…?" she spoke softly, feeling overjoyed that he had come back to her.

"Kagome…" He began, and for a moment, it seemed as if he didn't know what to say… instead, he placed his hands around her waist and kissed her passionately.

She wasn't sure what caused this, but she welcomed it instantly. She reached up and felt his soft hair through her fingers, as he continued to kiss her.

When she needed air, she pulled away from his lips and asked him, panting slightly, "Did you get him?"

"No," he muttered. "But at least we got two of his men. That's something."

"Who?" she asked.

"Juromaru and Kagerōmaru," he informed her, and she felt some relief. At least she wouldn't have to worry about them anymore.

"That's good," she whispered, tracing his jawline tenderly. "Two down… only the rest of them left…"

He raised his clawed hand and placed it on the side of her face as she stared back at him, trying to figure out what was going on. He gulped and croaked out, "I'm sorry."

She stared at him as she laced her fingers together with his other hand. "For what? You didn't do anything. If not for you then Sota would've…"

"It's my fault that you and your bother were put there in the first place," he told her bitterly. "We shouldn't be together. Who knows what might happen next time?"

She shook her head harder and put her hands up to his face. "No, you don't mean that."

"I'm too dangerous Kagome!" he told her roughly, trying to push her off without hurting him. "Just being near us, near me, is putting you and your family in danger."

"No, Inuyasha…" She began softly. Kagome didn't know what to say… she didn't want to admit it… but he was right. But as she looked into his golden eyes… looking a bit bloodshot in this thin light—she didn't care. So long as she was with him, she was willing to risk her life.

Inuyasha looked down then back out through the window. "Maybe it'll be best if I don't come around anymore."

Kagome looked over at him, tears trying to escape but Kagome kept them in, hoping she wouldn't burst into tears. "…But…why?"

"Kagome…" He turned back to look at her desperately, "You're a human. And I'm a vampire. We're just too different."

"But Inuyasha." Kagome began, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know the risks of being near you. But even still—" She placed her arms down and touched his cold face once more. "I want to take those risks."

"Why do you want me to stay?" he demanded.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "When I'm with you, I… I just…"

"What?" he asked her confused.

Kagome leaned her head against his shoulder and whispered, "I'll admit, we barely know each other. But still. I feel like I've known you my whole life. I don't know how to explain it but…somehow you've changed my life. I know that we're different…if only…there was a way to change that."

He ran his hand through her hair.

"Kagome?! Sota?!" called her mother's voice suddenly, causing them to jump apart in alarm. "Are you both up yet?!"

"I have to go," he whispered, looking at her face.

"But, wait!" she gasped, grabbing his hand. "I'm not letting you go until you tell me when I'll see you again."

"Kagome," he said in warning.

"Tell me, or else I'll…" she said, just as warningly.

"I don't know," he answered, pulling his hands free from her. "But I'll see you again…"

"I'll hold you to that," she said, standing up on her toes to kiss him one last time, before he pulled away and went to the window. "Is it ok that Sota knows?" she asked hesitantly.

"So long as he doesn't tell anyone," he whispered back, and jumped up onto the sill, getting ready to jump again.

"Remember," she told him. "You promised you'd come back."

He sighed before he nodded—without looking at her—and then he was gone. She sighed, watching as several fluffy, snowflakes begin to fall… making heart feel cold as she stared up at the still-dark sky. It was going to be Christmas soon… now what?

"Kagome?" Sota's voice asked, slightly hoarse.

"Sota?" she asked, turning around to see he was looking at her from under the covers. She went over to stand by his side and asked, "How are you? Are you feeling ok?"

She placed a hand up on his forehead, and wasn't surprised to see that he was warm, "Oh, you've got a fever."

"Kagome?" he asked with a slight cough. "Why do you love a vampire?"

She blinked before she answered. "I don't know… I never really thought about it. I mean… with the two of us… I just don't…"

"But you love him?" he asked, sounding stuffed up.

She ran her fingers through her baby brother's hair and smiled softly. "Yes," she whispered, looking at the window. "With all my heart."

**(Aww. So now, Sota's in on the secret! Isn't that great? What happens now? Next chapter: we find out the meaning behind the prologue. Why would Inuyasha be after her? Hope you enjoyed this chapter.)**


	36. You won't go away Will You?

_**Chapter Thirty-three: You won't go away Will You?**_

Sota came down with a bad cold… but thank god it was only a cold. After his ordeal, he could've easily been traumatized for life after that—any kid would. But instead, he was just amazed that he was used for bait in a vampire war. What a strange kid. But thankfully, he kept his mouth closed about the Inuyasha and all the others, but in exchange, he wanted to know every detail. Kagome spent most of the time with Sota, in his room, telling him everything else she could think of. Mom gave them both a curious look when she saw that the two of them getting along so well, but she just assumed it was the Christmas spirit.

Sota snuffled but was almost spellbound as she told him everything she could answer.

"Wow," he said in hushed tones. "So your da reincarnation of a priestess?" he asked with his stuffed up nose before he sneezed loudly.

"That's what they all think," she answered truthfully as she put a cool cloth on his burning forehead. "But I'm not so sure. I mean… even if I was, what could I do? To be honest, it all feels like a dream sometimes…"

A dream…

Kagome sighed as she looked out at the falling snow. She had spent the rest of Christmas keeping a lookout for Inuyasha and the others. It was strange… before she couldn't go longer than a day without having one of them popping out at her. Now, it was like they forgot about her and just disappeared.

It was like it had all been a very beautiful, and ugly, dream. But it couldn't have been. She knew that she wasn't dreaming when it came to _him_._ He_ was a part of the dream that she could never forget.

And though he had promised he'd come back, he was taking a long time…

"Kagome?" Sota asked her as he looked to where she was looking. "You ok?"

Kagome sighed again as she looked at him and forced a smile. "I'm fine, Sota," she told him. But that was a downright lie. Most people would be glad that a coven of vampires had just suddenly gone and left them alone, but Kagome was feeling miserable. Meeting Inuyasha and falling in love with him were things she never thought she would do. Then meeting his friends, helping them to fight Naraku, it was all so overwhelming and happened so fast.

'_I was never supposed to fall in love with a vampire,'_ she began to think to herself as she watched Sota examine the new soccer ball that he got from mom over Christmas. _'If only…there was a way for us to be together forever.'_

But how that was possible… she had no idea. So instead, she did her best to push her friends out of her mind as she and Sota began playing a game of cards.

_*Miroku and Sango*_

"So how long will you be gone for?" Sango asked as she watched Miroku pack.

"Just a few days, a week or two at the most," he replied as he finished zipping up his bag. "I know it's a long shot, but I think that we got a good chance here. It's been the only led we've gotten for years. I think that it's worth looking into it."

"Ok," Sango muttered as she worked to put her hair up in a ponytail. "I see."

Miroku looked over at her noticing her anxious look. "Hey," he said and got up to stand next to her. "You have nothing to worry about. We are closing in on them."

Sango forced a smile for him. "Yeah, I know. But we're still no closer to finding that stupid jewel. Just hurry back as fast as you can, okay?"

Miroku nodded. "Of course," he promised. "But why the sudden interest on me returning quickly, Sango? Normally, you're glad when I go on a long trip."

Sango didn't answer right away as she finished her hair and sat down in the only chair in the room. "No particular reason. For some reason I just like having you around sometimes… when you're not being a lecher that is…"

Miroku looked away blushing. "R-Right." He then picked up his bag, "We can talk more when I return."

"I would like that," Sango replied.

Miroku then walked up to Sango. "Well, I better get going. Be careful, okay?"

Sango smiled and told him simply, "You too."

Miroku smiled—and that was when he did something he never did before. He took her hand and brushed his lips against it for a fraction of a second. "I'll be back before you know it," he told her as he stood up. "And when I get back… there's something that I really would like to ask you."

"What is it?" she asked, her face blushing as she looked over at the wall—for some reason—unable to look him in the eyes.

"Why ruin the surprise?" he asked teasingly. "I'll ask you when I next see you."

He gave a little bow as he swung his back over his shoulder and turned to leave the room. "I'll see you all soon. Take care of yourself!" and with those parting words, he left.

"Bye…" Sango trailed off shyly some time later, though Miroku couldn't possibly hear her anymore. Afterwards, she shook her head, briefly wondering why she was acting like this all of a sudden, and went up to rest in her room for awhile.

_*Inuyasha and Kagome*_

_The giant clock in the center of the city had just chimed midnight._

_Tonight, the city was colder than it had been all year. The streets were quiet… but the quiet was just too good to last, because at that moment, the serene and peaceful calm was broken by the sound of running footsteps and of harsh breathing. Who in their right mind would be out at midnight… barefooted and running through empty streets?_

_Kagome was running as fast as she could go to the park. It was the only safe place she could think of at the moment. She was in a long, white dressing gown that whipped around her, almost casing her to trip as her raven-black hair was flying along with the strong cold wind. Fear that she never felt before was quickly pumping blood through her body—which wasn't a good thing in this case… it would only serve to make him even hungrier. _

_Kagome continued to run, looking back every now and again, making sure that he wasn't there; but also despairing in the fact that it wouldn't matter. She had been running for so long now, that with each step, it felt as though her body was being torn apart with the effort. But it had to be better than what he had planned. _

_She couldn't do it anymore… every night he came back to drink her blood and every night she allowed him to. Not that she could've fought him off in the first place… but this time in was different… she couldn't get rid of the feeling that he wanted something else from her that night. Something more valuable and wouldn't ever be able to ever get back if he did take it. That's why she ran… to get away from what he wanted._

_It's ironic that he had warned her about this… like he knew this was going to happen. He had told her that she had become his addiction, and that if she ever tried to run away from him, all he would have to do is follow her scent._

_And she know that he spoke the truth… she could see it in his eyes. She knew that he would find her. Because when you are addicted to something, you can never forget its taste. That was what he said to her…_

_That's why she was running to the park, she prayed that the trees and flowers will be able to cover her scent and she could lose him, at least for tonight. She knew that the odds aren't good… but she couldn't think of anything else._

_Suddenly, she heard the sound of heavy breathing not far behind her. It sounded like a great beast giving chase to his prey… Terror overwhelmed her and she ran even faster as her breath came out in short pants. Her eyes lightened up slightly as the entrance of the park came into view and she ran pass the gates._

_But a part of her knew that he was drawn to her like a moth to a flame._

_She ran across the grass and into a cluster of trees, she knew that it was her best chance. She dove behind a particularly large tree, and prayed for the best. But not long later, she could hear something in front of her. She cautiously looked behind the trunk and froze when she saw that he was just in front of her hiding place. She did her best not to scream—if she screamed now, he would surly find her… and there wasn't anyone else who could help her around for miles…_

_She stood as quietly as she could as she heard him sniffing the air and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, hoping that he hadn't noticed her. She felt so frightened, that it reminded her of the night that she had met him for the first time… just a few months ago._

_But it felt more like a lifetime._

_Kagome shivered, but she shook her head to clear her thoughts and calm her nerves. Slowly, very slowly, she moved her head lightly to the side to have a better look from her spot behind the tree. What she saw though confused her and she had to blink to see if her eyes were working right._

_Inuyasha was no longer there._

_Did that mean that she had won? That she was safe… at least for the moment? Kagome let out a sigh of relief and took a few steps backwards._

_"Game over, Kagome," said a voice from behind her._

_Her eyes widened and she turned around quickly only to be met with a pair of burning gold eyes. She felt as if she had stopped breathing for a moment and panic began to sink in. She was about to start running but he had seen that reaction coming and he would have none of it. He pinned Kagome's body to the tree and he held her wrists above her head, making it impossible for her to move._

_"No. Let me go!" Kagome screamed, knowing that it was useless._

_"Go? I'm afraid that I can't let you go." Kagome turned leaned her head as far back as she could, not wanting to look him in the eyes._

_"I've told you before," said Inuyasha as he leaned in closer to her. "You are my addition… and once you are addicted to something, you can't give them up."_

_"But…" began Kagome as she felt Inuyasha put his nose to her neck and take a deep breath; breathing in her scent._

_"You shouldn't be afraid, Kagome. There is no reason to, for I would never hurt my precious one… my fallen angel. And now that I have found you, I will never let you go."_

_Holding her close to him, Kagome felt her mouth go dry as she felt his fangs brushing her pulse point. She stiffened at the feeling of his tongue over her skin, coating the area in his saliva, before sinking his fangs into her throat._

_She closed her eyes in both pain and ecstasy._

_Yes, Inuyasha was a vampire…_

… _and he is no longer after her blood… he wanted her heart._

_He let go of her hands and put his arms around her as he held her… and she rolled her head back, allowing him to have more room for her neck. He wanted her heart… and now she realized that she wanted him to have._

_She smiled and shut her eyes as the pain became numb and all she felt was pure joy and bliss as he continued to feed._

_*End of Dream_

Kagome sat bolt-upright in bed—panting as though she really had done all the running in her dream—her heart beating a hundred times a minute. She looked around her dark room and realization slowly came back to her. A dream… it had all just been a dream. She sighed as she fell back onto her pillows and put a hand over her racing heart.

She had been dreaming about Inuyasha for so long now, but this dream was different. Instead of the beautiful dreams she usually had, this one scared her out of her mind… but it wasn't the fact that Inuyasha was chasing her. No, what scared her most was the feeling of his fangs when they bit into her. The second that his fangs were in her neck, she was no longer afraid… she loved the feeling of him there.

Why was that? What was wrong with her?

As Kagome laid there in bed, trying to figure out what was wrong with her, she heard a sudden noise from next to her. She sat upright again in a flash, just in time to see Inuyasha opening the window and slipping into her room.

Kagome sat there in bewilderment. "Inuyasha…?" she gasped as he turned to close the window behind him. "You're here! Where have you been…?" She spoke softly, feeling overjoyed that he had come back to her.

He turned to look at her, clearly surprised that she was awake.

"Inuyasha!" she whispered as she pushed her blankets off her and into his arms.

"What took you so long to come back?" she demanded as he caught her and held her tightly.

Inuyasha didn't answer for a moment before he said, "I don't know… so much has happened lately and… it hasn't been easy for me. It just doesn't seem right."

"What are you talking about?" she asked leaning her head back to look at his golden eyes.

"I feel as if… I… what I mean is…" he never looked so uncomfortable as he did now. "What I mean is that we shouldn't be…" he sighed as he turned his head away from her, his eyes sad, "We… can't be together, Kagome."

"What…?" Kagome asked, her voice soft, not understanding what he was talking about.

"You and I…" he said slowly. "We're too different. You're a human and I'm a vampire. Think about it," he turned back to her and went on, "Is this really what you want? To be with someone who can't go out into the sunlight… who's a complete monster… who's… not like you and your family. I mean, it's our fault that your brother was almost killed?"

"But Inuyasha," she whispered, "Sota's safe. Sure he has a cold, but he's gotten over the worst of it. He doesn't mind that your vampires… he thinks that you're really cool."

"Kagome…" he began again but spoke more softly. "It tears me up inside that I have to live like this… this way. And now that I've met you… it's only made it more wretched for me! I want to be with you…" He paused for a moment to see Kagome was beginning to cry and he looked away again. "But we can't."

"Once we find the jewel," she whispered but he shook his head.

"I don't know if we can find the stupid thing," he told her. "We've searched for years, but never had any luck. The odds of us beating Naraku and finding it are slim to none, Kagome. I don't want to get my hopes up, only for them to come crashing down again. If we fail… we won't ever be together. Kagome… one day… you'll die. But I'll keep on living… until someone kills me."

Kagome stared at him as tears fell. She hated him talking like this… she couldn't ever imagine life without him now that he was in her life. "Then…" she said quietly. "Then turn me into a vampire."

Inuyasha quickly turned back to look at her face in horror. "What? What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Suck my blood and turn me into a vampire like you," she said quietly, her fingers digging into his arms. "That way we can… be together."

"You know I can't do that," he hissed at her, shaking his head so hard that his dog ears shook. "I won't."

"Why not?" Kagome asked him loudly, not caring that her mom and Sota might hear her.

"Because!" he hissed before he let go of her and began to walk around her room in circles. "I lived a cursed life for five hundred years, Kagome. Living in the dark, drinking blood… I can't condemn you to that!"

"At least we'll be together…" she whispered.

"A life that you would never normally want!" he walked back and taking hold of her shoulders, actually shaking her slightly as if hoping to shake some sense into her. "I'm a monster Kagome. A monster, you understand? You already have a wonderful life here with your friends and family. I couldn't take that away from you! And I know that you would never want to give that up do you?"

Kagome looked down and asked quietly, "What about my feelings? Do you even care about them?"

"Of course I do," he whispered back.

Kagome raised her head and gazed into his eyes. "I told you before that I wasn't afraid. I want to be with you. And I am willing to take any risks! Inuyasha…" She reached up to hold his face in her hands. "Please… don't leave me… not now, not like this… not after all we've been through already…"

She let go of one of his cheeks to take his hand and placed it over her heart. He shucked in a sharp breath as his cold hand came in contact with her warm body, and she knew he could feel her heart. "You can feel it, can't you?" she asked him softly. "What I feel for you is real. It always has been. Even though I rather remain a human, I'll do whatever it takes to stay with you."

Inuyasha stared at her for a long time before his hands wrapped around her and he held her close. "Kagome…"

"I love you Inuyasha," she whispered. And while she never came out and said this to him before, it felt so good for her to admit it now, "Now and always."

"Kagome…" he whispered again before his hands moved to encircle her waist and he then leaned in and kissed her passionately. Kagome tensed for a moment, not knowing if she should go along with the kiss or stop. But their kiss was so gentle and loving; she never wanted him to stop. Kagome slowly closed her eyes, enduring everything as Inuyasha deepened his kiss further.

Afterwards, they pulled apart, gazing into one another eyes as if they could see one another's souls.

Inuyasha smiled. "I love you too, Kagome," he said softly. "And I… I don't ever want to let you go."

She stared at his burning eyes, suddenly feeling as if her heart would explode with happiness. "Inuyasha…" she whispered.

"But Kagome…" he went on. "I can very lose control. If we're not careful I could…" he gulped. "I could end up hurting you and—" But he was cut off when Kagome placed her finger over his lips smiling.

"It's okay Inuyasha," she whispered. "I just said that I'm willing to take risks. But…" she paused for a moment. "You won't… go away will you?"

Inuyasha looked into her eyes for a very long time before he leaned in and they met in another tender loving kiss overflowing with stimulation and joy. And that was all she needed to know.

They both sat down on the bed, his arms around her, kissing her tenderly, sliding his hand down her side. Kagome cherished every second of the feeling of his soft skin against hers. Her heart raced against her chest but it shortly passed as they became more intimate.

She lay back, adjusting to the close intenseness of the moment. Inuyasha then motioned on top of her and deepened the kiss. Kagome let out a low moan and buried her hands in his beautiful hair as they're lips parted and he began kissing her neck, holding her close to him.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered.

Inuyasha then leaned in and pressed his lips onto hers once again. She wrapped her slender arms around his neck, deepening the kiss even more. As egger as Inuyasha was as well, his hands were stroking her hair, and what seemed like a gentle kiss, lead even further as the two began making out deeply like how they did in the closet that day. Kagome never wanted him to stop. She felt this mysterious energy going throughout her body whenever she was near him, making her feel all the more comfortable and safe.

But then all of a sudden, Inuyasha flinched away nervously from Kagome, jumping off the bed and kneeling down in the middle of the room on the floor.

Kagome sat up. "Inuyasha? What's wrong?" she asked as she stood up and walked over to him, kneeling down beside him. She placed her had on his cheek to see his face. His eyes were a dark crimson red.

"Your eyes," she whispered in shock. She had seen his eyes flash red before—but she always just assumed that she was only seeing things.

"I'm sorry. I don't know…" he gasped. "I almost lost it for a moment. You see… when my eyes get like this," he gestured towards his glowing red eyes, "It's almost like the animal part of me takes over… it's not…" he gulped, "It's not a pleasant experience."

She stared at his red eyes before she smiled. Kagome gently ran her fingers through his hair smiling. "You don't have to be nervous around me, Inuyasha. I trust you… just relax."

She then got more bold and had actually crawled into his lap, placing her hands on his shoulders and pressed her lips against his once again, exploring his mouth. Inuyasha closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her again. She felt his hands slid up her, and her skin felt as if they had been burned wherever he touched her.

Moments later, he wrapped his arms around her waist again as they both slowly leaned back on the floor, Kagome on top, kissing each other romantically through the night.

_*Naraku*_

"Naraku where do you think you're going at a time like this? Dawn is almost here and you're planning on leaving all of a sudden?" Byakuya asked in mild surprise. "That's not like you… especially since we've lost a number of our vampires already, you're getting a little more impatient."

"I won't be going far, Byakuya," Naraku said as he smiled darkly. "I am merely setting things up for the end."

"The end?" Byakuya asked, uninterested. "Why do you say that? Has something happened? Are you planning on going to get Inuyasha?"

Naraku chuckled as he held up a single black rose and glazed at it, as if lost in thought. "I have no intention of killing Inuyasha just yet… but that is what will happen before this is all over."

"How do you know that for sure?" Byakuya asked with his eyebrows raised.

Naraku smiled as he crushed the rose in his hand. "It's simple really," he said as the crushed petals fell to the floor. "You'll see. We know his weakness."

_*Inuyasha and Kagome*_

Inuyasha and Kagome lay in bed together, cuddled in each other's arms enjoying each other's company as they slept. But all too soon, dawn was slowly peeking its head beyond the horizon and the sun began to glister through the window, waking Inuyasha. He slowly opened his eyes and yawned widely before he glared at the light that was slowly creeping into the room.

That was when he heard a slight sigh next to him and he looked over to see Kagome was still sleeping peacefully next to him. He reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and she shifted in her sleep slightly before she moved closer to him, with a tiny smile on her face.

He sighed grimly as he stared at her beautiful face. What had he done? He had come here last night planning on breaking things off with her once and for all, but instead he only fell deeper in love if that was possible.

How could breaking up with someone turn into this instead? But how could he stay away from her when she looked at him the way she did last night? Her complete stubbornness and sweet, pure blood was what first attracted him to her in the first place.

When he looked at her now, he could swear to God that if he still had a breath in his body, she would have taken it away. Her, now, closed eyelids were hiding the deep chocolate-brown that shone with the perfection of light and purity, her hair was a black as a raven's feathers, and her skin was so perfect that it looked like almost like porcelain.

She is an angel; she had to be an angel. He on the other hand, was a demon straight from hell…

'_Kagome…'_ he thought as he looked at her. '_I know I should stay away from you, but I just can't help myself. But __is not how I want you to live your live. You deserve to be surrounded by love, warmth, family, friends—not the life that I'm forced to live now.'_

But he just couldn't stay away from her. He fought back a groan as he looked at the window and could see that it was going to be a bright day today. He couldn't stay here—he had to get back to the others. He kissed Kagome one more time before he gently disentangled himself from her arms and legs.

Once he was out of the bed, he stood up and went to the window so that he could stare out at the feeble rays of light that were steadily growing brighter.

He opened it and stuck his head out to look around him cautiously; he hated to leave, but what other choice did he have at the moment?

"…Inuyasha?" whispered a hoarse voice. Inuyasha turned around to see Kagome was waking up and sat up to look at him. "You're leaving?" she asked, keeping the blanket wrapped around her as the cold hair came into the room.

"Dawn is almost here," he told her. "Better leave now before the sun catches me out. Or worse… your mother."

Kagome sat up, holding the blanket up to her chest, looking over at him. "Stay… please?"

"But Kagome—"

"I know," Kagome sighed as she leaned back. "I understand. But you will be back right?"

He paused for a moment before he went back to her and gave her a long kiss, full of passion. "Always," he whispered. She blinked… and then he was gone. She sighed as she pulled the blanket up and covered her head as she rolled over, already missing his strong arms.

**(What do you think? Just what happened last night? I'll leave that up to you. ;-) So yeah, the prologue had been a dream all along, too bad, but still I hope you enjoyed this chapter.)**


	37. Loving the Undead

_**Chapter Thirty-four: Loving the Undead**_

"Kagome?" Sota's voice asked hesitantly as he watched his sister sit down opposite him at the kitchen table. Kagome hadn't gotten up until late noon that day, her thoughts all on the vampire and his warm touch…

When she finally dragged herself out of bed, and changed into some clothes, she tiredly went downstairs, to find out that her mother was out getting some more juice for Sota—and to see that her little brother was already there, apparently waiting for her.

"Yes?" she asked as she opened the fridge to get a soda.

"Was Inuyasha in your room last night?" he asked, and while she was glad to hear that he didn't sound so stuffed up as he had the night before, she choked on her drink.

"What makes you think that?" she asked nervously.

"You got up so late," he answered simply. "Did Inuyasha take you somewhere last night?"

"No," she said, careful to avoid his eyes, as she shut the fridge door and sat down opposite him. "He did come last night, but we didn't go anywhere. He left awhile ago."

"Oh," he said. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Sota spoke again. "Kagome?" he asked, "I want to help."

"Help what?" she asked, looking over at him in confusion.

"I want to take down Naraku!" he called out bravely. "Look, I'm ready! Look…" he reached for his backpack on the floor and started pulling out things. "See, I've got garlic, here's a silver mirror, a wooden stake…"

Kagome laughed as she watched her little brother take out all these things. He stopped and looked up at her, not understanding why she was laughing. "I'm sorry, Sota," she smiled. "But I don't think that those work on real vampires."

"But I've got a huge horror movie collection!" he said loudly, putting the ring of garlic around his neck. "I know all their weak spots! I'm ready for them!"

Kagome merely smiled at him as she leaned over the table to kiss his forehead, deciding not to tell him that those wouldn't work against these vampires. "I know… but if I have it my way, I'll make sure that you never see him again."

"But what about you?" he asked shakily. "You said that time is running out for Inuyasha and the others?"

Kagome blushed slightly at Inuyasha's name but nodded. She knew that it was true. Time for them to find the jewel and defeat Naraku was indeed running out. It had just been announced in the paper a few days ago that there was going to be a lunar eclipse in just a month and a half's time. A month and a half was all they had left… they only had until then to find the jewel and defeat Naraku…

But time came and passed quickly. January was already over, and they were quickly going into February, but still, Inuyasha, nor any of the others were to be seen.

Kagome felt that she was slowly going crazy with this mindless waiting. Where were they? Was Inuyasha safe? What about Sango, Rin, Miroku, Shippo and the others? Were they alive and well? Or were they…?

She shook her head hard at those dreadful thoughts. Her mind was plagued with all these terrible questions, and it felt that her heart was being shattered into a million pieces with every passing day. Every morning she woke up, missing his smug grin and warm arms… missed the way she would melt into his lips.

How much longer was he going to make her wait?

Soon school had restarted, but she was so lost in thought most of the time, she hardly heard anything that her teachers said and her grades were starting to drop. Her friends obviously noticed.

"Kagome?" Eri demanded, as they cornered her in the hallway one day. "Just what is the matter with you?"

"Why do you ask?" Kagome asked dully. "I'm just not myself."

"You've been acting like a freaking zombie since we got back," Ayumi stated worriedly. "Is something wrong? You know you can tell us?"

But Kagome didn't answer them… how could she explain? She would just change the subject until they got the hint and let the matter drop.

Every night she would lay awake, wondering, hoping if this would be the night he would come back… so that she could see his face once again. But still, days went by, and still there was no signs of him or the others. Could something have happened to him?

But then, finally, after weeks of waiting, he returned to her. It was late one night, and she was just starting to fall asleep when she heard the window sliding open. She sat up at once to see that familiar head of silver, and eyes of gold enter her dark room.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, leaping out of bed and almost flying into his arms. He was waiting her arms, and they pressed their lips together desperately, both having longed for this feeling once again.

Kagome couldn't have cared less that he had made her wait for so long, the kiss made her forget everything for a moment, but it all came flying back to her once he pulled away.

"Kagome," he said quietly. "They're here. It has begun," Inuyasha spoke, a hint of anger in his voice. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, not understanding. "The fight between the two covens of vampires," he answered.

"No, don't say that." Kagome said at once. "What has happened? I've been waiting for you to come back! I was beginning to think that you just forgot about me! I thought that you said that I could help you…"

"No, no," Inuyasha said, kissing her again. "Listen to me," he said urgently. "Miroku discovered where Naraku was hiding, but when he went to go and scout the area, he was taken hostage."

"What?" Kagome gasped, staring. "Is he alright? He's not…?"

"Oh, he's beat up, but nothing serious," Inuyasha reassured her. "We were all freaking out, trying to find him. That's why I took so long to come back. Sango was making threats that if we didn't find him soon, she would kill us all herself."

"But you did find him?" Kagome pressed him.

"Yes," he answered. "He managed to escape. He knows where Naraku is now."

"But why didn't Naraku just kill him?" Kagome asked. It didn't make sense to her. He seemed pretty determined to kill them all just awhile ago.

"Because he wanted to make a deal," Inuyasha explained. "He still thinks that we have the jewel. Trade the jewel for Miroku's life."

"But why would he think that you have it?" Kagome asked desperately. "Why would he think that?"

"Because you look like her," Inuyasha said, turning his face away from hers. Kagome stared at him. She looked like her? Who's _her_? What was he talking about?

"Kikyo," he whispered to her, though he still wasn't looking at her face, "It's because you look just like her that he thinks that you have the jewel."

"Kikyo?" Kagome repeated until it came back to her. "Oh! You mean the priestess?"

"Yes," Inuyasha said, still not looking at her. Kagome frowned, why did he always act like this whenever Kikyo was mention? That was when an idea came to her mind and gently turned his head to look at her.

"Inuyasha?" she asked softly. "You knew Kikyo didn't you? Was she a friend of yours?"

He looked startled at her question, but the sadness returned to his eyes, and looked down at the floor, as if ashamed, and stammered, "She was my—the first woman I ever loved."

Kagome stared at him. "What? You mean you and me were in love in a past life?"

He nodded. "Apparently. When I first saw you… that Halloween night—when that jerk had hold of you…" he said through gritted teeth, and Kagome flung her arms around his neck so that she could bury her face in his shoulder as he took steadying breaths. He then went on bravely, "When I saw you in that priestess outfit, I thought that you were her for a second… but then I realized that your scent wasn't like hers. You weren't her…"

"I've been trying to tell you that," Kagome whispered. "No matter what I look like, no matter how you felt about her, I'm not her." She looked up into his shadowy face and asked, "Is that the only reason you love me? Because I look like your first girlfriend?"

She was ashamed that tears were in her eyes.

"No," Inuyasha said, pulling her into a tight embrace. "No… I can't deny that was how it started off… but the more time I spent with you, the more I see that you're different from her…"

He leaned in and kissed her once again, this time, full of passion and a need like before. Kagome melted into the kiss at once and they remained that way for some time, neither one pulling away, except for air. Finally, Inuyasha pulled back to say, "I can't deny that I still love Kikyo, but I love you too… so… just so much…"

She looked into those glowing eyes and smiled. He wasn't lying… she could see that. But…

"But what about the jewel?" she asked, "And Naraku? What are we going to do? The eclipse is coming, Inuyasha! Only a few more days if even that much!"

"I know," he sighed. "And I'm not getting my hopes up. I doubt that we will find the stupid jewel by then. But I intend to finish off Naraku while I can. Miroku can lead us to them… tonight! We will go."

"What?" Kagome gasped. "No! NO! You could get killed if you just go charging in like that!"

"It's too late Kagome." Inuyasha interrupted looking down at her. "He'll take us all out, whether or not we go, I know it. We are going to go and hunt him down, end it on our terms not his."

"You can't mean that!" Kagome said, grabbing his arms and holding him tightly. "No, Inuyasha, you could get killed! I don't know what I'd do if something like that happened to you!"

"Kagome…" he spoke, placing his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. "It's too late. Even if we wanted to, we can't walk away from this. But I promise you that you'll be safe here. Just stay here and…"

"Inuyasha… no," she said, now getting angry. She wasn't going to let him go like this.

"It's the only way," Inuyasha growled, and she could see he was getting angry too. She didn't care. Anything to stop him.

"NO!" she shouted, "I won't let you do it, you're staying here with me!"

"You can't choose me over your family, Kagome," he growled, his eyes flashing red for a slightest moment.

"I don't want to lose either," she said stubbornly. "But I love you too much for you to just—just go and get killed!"

"Kagome… it's the only way," he said loudly, and she knew that if they got any louder, then they would wake up her family.

"But you could die!" Kagome said, crying. "I don't want that…"

"This is just how it is Kagome," he said forcefully, turning to the window. "There is nothing else either one of us can do."

But Kagome wasn't going to give in without a fight. She grabbed hold of his arm and was ready to argue him back to his senses, but then he did a dirty trick. He kissed her so suddenly, that she was caught off-guard. Instinctively, she relaxed and became lost in his warm embrace… that was what cost her. His lips left hers and his fangs found her neck. She gasped in pain and surprise—and felt herself becoming weak as he started to drain her blood again. She fought to keep her eyes open, her hands found his chest, and she tried to push him off her, but he didn't stop until she fell to her knees, too weak to stand.

She felt his tongue again, and she glared up at him when his face appeared in front of her—a drop of blood dripping down from the corner of his mouth.

"I'm sorry," he said, as he held her in his arms.

He licked the blood away and picked her up, bridal style and carried her to her bed. "I didn't want to, but you wouldn't let me go otherwise."

She forced her mouth to move, and her speech came out in a slur, "I… will… kill… you… for… this…"

He grinned wickedly down at her as he kissed her once again just before he laid her head on her pillow. "I hope so," he said softly as she gasped for breath. "But you need to understand that I might not come back. If so, you need to forget me."

"I… can't…" she whispered, trying to move her arms, but was so weak, that she could only make her fingers twitch uncomfortably. "Inu… yasha… I love… you…"

His clawed fingers were entangled with her hair as he gazed down at her. He lowered his head, his long hair fell about him, as if creating a curtain from the rest of the world, leaving a place where only the two of them existed.

Kagome could taste the salt from her tears from this one last kiss. She knew that she couldn't stop him here, she tried to let him know just what was in her heart from this one, possibly final, kiss. He pulled away at last and stood up. She could feel darkness covering her eyes as she saw him head to the window.

"Promise…" she gasped out at last.

"What?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"Promise… promise me… that you… will… come back… to me…" she croaked out.

He stared at her for a moment before he whispers, "I can't promise that… no matter how much I want to…"

He turned and before she could say another word, he jumped, disappearing into the night.

Kagome turned her head to the side, crying as she stared at the wall in front of her. '_This is not how I wanted things to turn out… why… why is this the only choice?' _she thought bitterly. _'It wasn't fair, why does a man make me feel like I want to die? If I do see him again, I'm going to kill him.'_

Why? Why did she feel this way?

"Whose feelings are these?" she said out loud, desperate for answers. "Are they Kikyo's? Mine? Why do I love him?"

Her mind was flooded with thoughts about everything that had happened—and what was to come. She was determined to save them somehow. But she didn't know where she could find the answers that would solve her problems. They felt out of reach, with no solution, no resolve.

'_I'll find a way to save you, I promise. I won't let you die…__'_

Closing her eyes, tears began to escape. As much as she wanted to go and stop Inuyasha, she couldn't… she couldn't even move. Her heart ached for a simple solution—any solution. She didn't want to go through all this pain anymore.

**(Sorry for the long wait, but this story is finally starting to reach an ending. I think… maybe three or four more chapters might do it. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter.)**


	38. A Touch of Madness

_**Chapter Thirty-five: A Touch of Madness**___

Inuyasha grounded his fangs as he thought about leaving Kagome behind. He was running through the dark town, looking for him… thinking about it made him wonder how far what could've happened to him if things didn't go this way.

"Still up you little runt?" same a foul voice from behind and he spun around. It was without a doubt Naraku's voice once Inuyasha turned around and saw him there approach him. "Not out with your little human friend?"

"What do you want Naraku?" Inuyasha asked, his tone furious and filled with venom.

"Guess you haven't heard yet…" he laughed as he gently strolled forward, as if he hadn't a fear in the world… as if he already knew the outcome. "To think that you all want to die that eagerly."

"Heh, well if that is true," Inuyasha began softly as he exposed his claws. "I better make sure that I take you out first!"

"You know that I'm going to have no choice but to kill your little human friend…" Naraku began to taunt, halting Inuyasha stop.

"Lay one finger on her and I'll be the one to kill you…" Inuyasha replied, clutching his hand into a fist.

"Why must you be so blind, Inuyasha?" he asked softly. "She's a human, you know that no matter what you try to do, you won't be together. Your affection for her is just an illusion, something that was never real."

"And what would you know about what is real or not?" Inuyasha shouted, tuning around and looked him in the eyes. "How would you know the difference between life and death? Well? You don't know because you don't care about anything but having us as slaves! You took everything from us!  
You took…"

"Ah yes," Naraku smirked. "I'm the one who took Kikyo away from you aren't I?"

Inuyasha started to growl—an unearthly, beastly growl. "How dare you? You shouldn't even be allowed to say her name for what you did?"

"HA!" he called back. "You should be thanking me for putting her out of her misery! She was a human, Inuyasha! Much like your beloved here. Those two women were and are different from you and I. No matter how many times you'd try, she could never understand. Vampires and humans live two different lives, live in two different worlds, whatever we are, they are the opposite!"

"No! They aren't! We aren't… we're not that different…"

"Let loose and give in to your vampirism, boy. It is the best gift of all," he whispered, an evil grin on his face. "It is… your truest nature."

"What the hell are you…?" but he stopped. His anger on Naraku had distracted him from what he had really planned for…

Inuyasha held up his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose as the scent of miasma filled his systems. "W-what are y-you doing?" he asked hazily, his mind becoming fuzzy.

Naraku only smiled. "I am merely helping to awaken your truth self, Inuyasha. The monster inside… let's see what you can do shall we?"

*Sango and Miroku*

"So do you think we have what it takes to finish Naraku once and for all?" Sango asked, standing outside the house with Miroku as the others were all getting ready.

"We have enough for a small army. Should be plenty against the vampires," Miroku replied, though Sango could see the worry in his eyes. "Tonight… we finish it… for good."

She looked at him. "We've known each other for a long time, haven't we?" she asked him quietly.

He blinked at her soft tones and nodded. "Almost five hundred years… and what a both wonderful and miserable five centuries it has been."

They stared up at the blue light of the moon slowly lighted the night as dark came. The air was crisp and clear. A perfect warm night…

This was the night when predators stalked, the perfect night for them. Becoming part of the shadows. To lurk and stalk they're pray, without being caught. The night was their cloak, their ally, and their home.

"The eclipse is almost here," Miroku said, worry in his tone. "We have to hurry."

Shippo and Rin suddenly appeared at their side, looking frustrated.

"For the millionth time," Sango sighed to them both as she put her hair up in a ponytail. "You two must stay behind. This is different… it will be an all out war, and you two must stay out of harm's way."

"But haven't we fought with you guys all this time?" Shippo demanded as Rin looked down. "It's not fair."

"We don't think any less of you for staying out of the fight, Shippo," Miroku said soothingly. "And we are sorry for putting you through this, but you need to understand that this is just something that you have to do? Ok? Hopefully, this will be the final battle… and we will all fight much harder if we know that you both are out of harm's way."

"But…" Shippo began, but Rin put her hand on his shoulder. "It's ok, Shippo. This is for the best right…"

Miroku beamed at her as they watched the two go back into the house. "Alright!" he then called loudly. "Now's the chance to change our damned fate! Tonight, we're gonna finish it all! Kill Naraku and ALL his servants, leave none alive!"

Everyone but Sesshomaru—who was leaning up against the house looking bored—gave a loud cheer that seemed to echo across the darkness.

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Sango began as she stepped forward, "Now that we're all here, let's begin. As you know, each and every one of us here tonight are part of an important mission—to end the vampires that plagues us with suffering, fear, pain and death. Tonight we put an end to that fear, pain and death! Let the great hunt begin!"

Another cheer erupted.

"Then let's go!" she called, and soon they were all running. But as they ran, she couldn't help but feel uneasy… like she wasn't exactly sure that they were doing the right thing. But then again, what else could they do?

That was when she thought of something.

"What did you mean by wonderful?" she asked Miroku as they ran side-by-side. "How could anything wonderful have come from all these years of suffering?"

He smiled at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Because my dear Sango…" he said, and for the first time, Sango could hear the sincerity in his tone. "I got to spend it all with you…"

She stared at him, her eyes wide… she wasn't sure what to say.

But then… that's when everything went wrong.

All of a sudden Sango, who was at the front of the small group, sensed it. Slowly and nearly she could hear steps coming towards them. Showing her fangs she called out, "It's an ambush! Everyone spread out!"

*Kagome*

The sun had risen high in the sky by the time that Kagome finally came too. She felt sick and weak… quickly telling her mother that she just had a case of the flu and she wasn't able to go to school. Thankfully, her mother believed that from seeing her pale face… and just assuming that she must've caught something from Sota.

Sota, who was standing there, was looking over their mother's shoulder at her, concern in his eyes. Once mom left to get some juice, Sota looked over at her sadly. "He did this didn't he?" he asked, anger in his tone.

Kagome smiled at sadly. "I wanted to go with them last night," she whispered. "But he stopped me…"

"That's no excuse for doing this to you!" he demanded.

"I know," she muttered, shifting slightly. "But once I'm better, I'm going to go and see them."

He looked at her sadly as mom came back, and shooed her brother out. Kagome took the juice and soup her mother offered, before she went back to sleep. She had to get better as soon as possible… so that she could kill Inuyasha when she next saw him.

*That night*

Now that hadn't been easy.

Kagome had slept through most of the day and she felt almost back to normal by the time that the sun set that evening. She waited until she heard her mother go to bed before she dragged herself out of bed and pulled on her clothes.

She snuck down the stairs and outside before she started up her mom's car. She gritted her teeth, hoping that she'd be back before her mother noticed that she was gone.

Kagome drove on through the night, one hand on her neck where Inuyasha had bitten her—though it didn't hurt, it was a dull ache. _'I'm going to kill him for this,'_ she thought furiously as she continued to the house. To think she let her guard down with him even for a second! She had spent that whole day lying in bed, feeling sick… but now she was hurrying towards the manor. She had to find them… she had to know what happened…

"So are we going to where they live?" asked a voice in the back seat.

The voice almost made her crash the car as she stopped on the side of the road and spun in her seat. No… this couldn't be happening.

Sota was there, obviously hiding underneath a blanket. She mustn't have seen him in the dark and in her hurry to find Inuyasha.

"What are you doing here?!" she demanded as he sat up.

"Well, you were sick all morning and I know that it had something to do with the vampires," he said firmly. "And I saw you sneak the keys from mom's coat earlier. I knew that you were leaving and I'm going with you!"

"Sota no!" Kagome groaned, putting the car in reverse. "I have to take you back!"

"Too late for that!" Sota said firmly. "You take me or I'm telling mom the truth!"

She glared at him. "Alright fine!" she snapped. "But promise me that you'll hide if any fighting comes ok?"

When he agreed, she turned the car and continued on her way to Inuyasha. "There's a house up ahead where Inuyasha and the others have been living. He came and told me last night that there was going to be a hug war last night… I need to know if they are all ok.

She drove up the familiar patch of dirt and pulled into the driveway. As soon as she did, she gasped… she knew right away that there was something wrong. The windows of the house had all been smashed and the front door had been ripped off.

Sota gasped as well and was shaking. She could tell that he was now regretting his decision to come along. She looked to him and said, "Come on… I can't leave you out here…"

He took her hand as they ran up the steps. "Hello?" she called in, staring around her. "Miroku? Sango? Shippo? Rin? INUYASHA? ANYBODY?!"

For a few moments, nothing happened, but then they heard a small voice whisper, "Kagome?"

They spun around to see Rin and Shippo hiding there from behind the curtains. Kagome sighed in relief as she ran to them both and hugged them. "Are you ok?" she whispered as Sota came up to them, looking nervous about being in a room with these two vampires.

"They all came… all at once," Rin whispered, tears in her eyes. "They told us to hide…"

"And they all took off!" Shippo shouted! "They attacked the house! But when they saw the others, they forgot about us."

"And what happened then?" Kagome asked quickly, feeling terrified for her friends.

"We don't know," Rin said. "They took off. But I do know that the battle will be decided at Half-Moon Cove."

She stared. "Half-Moon Cove?" she repeated. "Are you sure?"

"That's what I overheard Miroku say to Sango before the fighting will begin at Half-Moon Cove," Shippo said. "It has to be."

Kagome nodded in understanding and stood up. "You both stay here," she said. "In case anyone comes back."

She then turned to her little brother and shouted as she ran from the house, "Sota! Stay here!"

"Kagome…?" Rin began.

"SIS!" Sota shouted, sounding terrified.

But she ignored him. She had to go… she had to see him for herself. She jumped into the car and headed straight to the cove. Now she knew that what she was doing was both stupid and dangerous. But she had to do something! She had to see him…

Driving as fast as she could without having to worry about getting arrested, she drove the car all the way to Half Moon Cove. Looking up at the darkening sky, scattered with dark clouds, she stared around her. This was the place where she once stayed with Inuyasha…

Turning back around, she jumped when she was faced with Inuyasha. She let out a soft scream, which he put his hand over her mouth. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Kagome was so relieved to see that he was alive… but that was until she realized that something was wrong. He wasn't the happy or even the sarcastic Inuyasha she once knew. Instead… he looked angry. His eyes were a dark red, his vampire eyes that look piercingly dangerous…

"Inuyasha… I'm so glad that you're okay…" she said, ignoring her senses telling her that there was danger, and running up, gripping his forearms, "Please… please don't do this…"

Sighing in a frustrated tone, he looked at her with red eyes. "Kagome, I won't just stand around and not to anything." He clenched his hands into fists. "Stay out of it."

"You know I can't!" She exclaimed.

"Stay OUT OF IT!" he yelled, making her take a step back away from him, frightened. "Inuyasha you're not acting like yourself…"

"No, Kagome! You're just not listening to me!" He approached her, coming upon her as her back hit a tree. "And you will listen to me, okay? Just this once! You don't belong here in this battle. There is nothing you can do to change things without making sacrifices. So stay out of it."

"No…" she whispered, shaking her head hard as her hands pressing to the tree behind her.

"Why are you so stubborn?" he demanded.

"Because I can't just stand around and watch you do this!" she yelled. "I love you! And I want to be with you!"

He then grabbed her neck and pressed his lips hard on her mouth, releasing his anger and frustration into the kiss. The intoxication, the sweetness… it all flowed through him now. Stubbornly, Kagome refused to heed the vampire's warning as she wined in displeasure. She didn't want this. Not like this. What was overcoming Inuyasha? Why was he suddenly acting like this? As his lips jerked sharply, forcing himself deeper into her mouth, his agonized cry, strangely muffled, reached her ears as he parted his lips from hers.

His hands were gripping her upper arms, his mouth moving over to her neck, his claws digging into her skin.

"Stop…" she begged, crying out at the pain.

But he didn't respond, instead he continued kissing her neck passionately.

"Inuyasha…" she whined, "Stop…" she tried to push him away, but he was too strong.

But what she didn't know was that Inuyasha' mind was clouded with anger and rage. He wanted Kagome safe. But the vampire inside him was taking over… it was dying… for more blood…

"No…" she gasped out, tears streamed down her smooth cheeks, wet eyes clamping shut.

His eyes glowed a dark, feral red, his ears listening to the blood pump in her veins. It was right there… her neck. He dug his nails deeper into her arms, inhaling the scent of the red liquid, peaking his thirst even more.

"Enough… Inuyasha…" she gasped out, "You're… you're hurting me…"

A tight strung piece of thread stopped him from biting. The vampire could no longer be held back. Inuyasha drew back for a split second, fangs growing long. Kagome could only gasp before the teeth sunk into her neck and drained blood.

She coughed. "N-No… s… s-to…p" She tried to force her words out at best. But the draining was wavering her speech and breathing became harder to inhale.

Swiftly, Inuyasha reeled back and turned away only to be smacked down by a large tree branch that was swung at him. Kagome fell to her knees, placing her hand on the bite to prevent the blood from continuing to bleed out.

"Uh…" Inuyasha' mind then unexpectedly snapped out of the blood lust as he fell to the hard ground and remained there as thoughts flooded through his mind.

He closed his eyes in pain. What was happening? "Ugh…" He forced himself back up, only making it to his knees. "Kagome?" He looked over to see Sango pick up and held Kagome in her arms as she just lay there, eyes barely opened, too weak to even move as well as blood continuing to drip down her neck. "Kagome…"

Inuyasha remained on his knees in pain. "What have I done…? Kagome…"

*Miroku*

The battle continued on with no end in sight.

"Move out! We've got to get to that cave!" Miroku instructed the surrounding his friends and allies around him.

Looking out in front of him, he was only seconds away from the entrance of the cave. Looking up, he noticed the red-eyed vampire with his arms crossed over his chest staring at him.

Naraku then jumped down and began to charge after Miroku as he turned and faced him. The last thing that he saw in his mind's eye was Sango's face… and that was when Naraku stuck him…

**(I know! I've been taking a long time! I'm sorry. But here's the next chapter, and I really hope that it had been worth the wait.)**


	39. Dark Resolve

_**Chapter Thirty-six: Dark Resolve**_

"We managed to stop the bleeding, but she still lost so much of it."

"How bad is it?"

"I'm not sure. She still hasn't woken up yet. But her pulse and breathing are back to normal and that's a good sign."

Kagome felt pain over her entire body. There was a terrible, pulsing pain in her neck, like someone had stuck a fork into it. She could hear two voices arguing above her… she knew the voices but she couldn't remember where she had heard them. She felt so light-headed, the only other time she felt this was when…

Inuyasha…

She tried to think of his face. But she was so dizzy and sick that her memory seemed to swim around her. Where was she? Had she just been having a bad dream? She opened her eyes and realized that her vision was blurred; she could hardly see a thing. What was going on?

Kagome remained there, blinking her eyes two or three times. '_Inuyasha…'_

Why was she thinking of him all of a sudden?

"Kagome?" whispered a voice.

Kagome turned her head and looked into Sango's worried face. "S-Sango?" she asked in confusion.

Sango, who had been hovering over her, had just sighed in relief. "Oh, it's so good to see that you're alright, Kagome. I was so worried… we thought…?"

"Thought what?" she asked bewildered. Where was she? What on earth had she been doing? She tried to sit up, but Sango pushed her back down. It was then she heard a strange crunching sound beneath her… she realized that she was lying on a patch of dead leaves, not a bed like she had thought. The sun was high in the sky above their heads, and—to her astonishment, Shippo was right there with them. He was curled up in a little ball right be her side, sucking on his thumb.

"Be careful," Sango said, her voice full of worry. "You lost a lot of blood last night."

"B-blood?" Kagome asked bewildered, not having the slightest clue to what she was talking about.

"Don't you remember?" Sango asked her cautiously.

Kagome blinked, trying to force her mind to remember what had happened before she fainted. She remembered Inuyasha… but his red eyes… the pain in her neck as he drained her of blood even as she begged him to stop…

She gasped as her hand flew to her neck—but she was surprised to feel that there was no mark. She looked when she looked down at her shirt, she saw that one side of it was stained with dried blood.

"Sango…?" she croaked in fear. "What happened?"

Sango gave her a sad look.

_*Flashback*_

"_Just what the hell did you think you were doing?!" Sango cried as she put Kagome down, her fingers flying to Kagome's neck as she tried to stop the bleeding. "You almost killed her!"_

_Inuyasha staggered where he stood, not having the slightest idea to what had just happened. But as his vision cleared, all he could see was Kagome's chalky, white face as the blood glistening around her…_

_He froze and stared at her. The smell of her blood was everywhere… it was too close…_

_Hands shaking, he held them up and stared at them. They were splattered with Kagome's blood…_

_"Kagome…" Inuyasha whispered her name, feeling cold and numb inside. As Sango worked to save her, he slowly walked over and collapsed next to her. Carefully, he raised a clawed hand up to her face and gently brushed back her bangs and loose hair. "Kagome… open your eyes."_

_She remained still, her heartbeat slow…_

_Inuyasha brought her head into his chest, laying his cheek upon her hair. His hands shook as he clutched her tightly into his body, trying desperately to awaken her. "Don't you die on me… don't you die and leave me!"_

_Kagome let out strangled breaths of air._

_Inuyasha loosened his grip to scan her face once more, his heart beating rapidly. _

_"Inuyasha!" screamed a voice from behind them. Sango turned to look, but Inuyasha didn't need to bother—he knew who it was._

"_Shippo!" Sango cried. "What are you doing here?!"_

_Shippo had come pelting out of the darkness, gasping for breath. "Kohaku sent me to find you!" he cried and jumped up into her arms. "He said that—" it was then he noticed Kagome and screamed out in terror._

"_K-KAGOME!" he cried in panic and lunged for her, but Sango held him back. _

"_We don't have a lot of time, Shippo!" she told him. "Kagome needs help now, but what did Kohaku want?"_

_Shippo couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from Kagome as he began to cry. But he was still able to say in a muffled voice, "N-Naraku! Ko-Kohaku said th-that Naraku has Mi-Mi-Miroku!"_

_Sango dropped him in shock._

"_MIROKU?" she gasped. "Why? What happened?"_

"_Kohaku said that they were ambushed," he whispered. "After you both got separated, Naraku attacked them! He then said that if we want him back… we're supposed to meet him at a place outside of town. I don't know where but…"_

"_But most of us are injured!" Sango whispered. "And Kagome needs help! It's obvious a trap, but what do we do about Miroku?"_

_As she and Shippo talked, Inuyasha hadn't said a word as he stared at Kagome's face. He knew what he had to do. He held her tightly against this chest for a second longer before he gently laid her back down and got to his feet._

"_Inu-?" Sango began as he walked away._

_They watched as Inuyasha stopped for a second, his blood-soaked hands clenched into fists. "I'll go and get Miroku."_

"_Are you crazy?" Shippo cried out as Sango continued to help Kagome. "You barely stood a chance against him with all of us! What makes you think that you can fight them all?"_

"_You want to save him don't you?" he yelled at them and Shippo shut up, his face showing fear._

_Shaking, Inuyasha said, "I'll get him back. And this time, I'll finish Naraku… Outside of town right? Good, knowing that, I should be able to find his scent sooner or later if I go there."_

_He glanced back at Kagome's lifeless form and said so quietly that there was no way that they could've heard him with normal ears._

"_Take care of her."_

_Without another word, he turned and flew wildly behind him as he swiftly disappeared within the shadowed trees. He ran, not looking back, his teeth clenched as his hands shook._

_It was his fault… he didn't know how, but he had hurt her like this._

_Here, he knew that so long as Naraku survived, then Kagome would always be in danger. He had to save her… and he was determined to save her no matter what. The image of her lying there, covered in her own blood, sweat dripping down her face, inhaling and exhaling a heavy breath for air was stuck in his mind._

_Kagome…_

_It killed him to see what he had done…_

"_I'll find a way to save you, I promise. I won't let you die…__" he whispered._

_*End of Flashback*_

Kagome stared at her.

"Are you serious?" she asked. Sango nodded. "I wanted to go, but with my own injuries, I couldn't… Inuyasha went after Naraku to save Miroku. I don't know what's happened since then."

Kagome reached up to her neck again and told her what happened last night.

"It was like he was someone else," she whispered to him. "I don't get it, why would he do this?"

"I don't think he had a choice," Sango whispered as Shippo stirred a little in his sleep. "I think that Naraku must have gotten to him somehow. Because he was part demon when he was bitten, controlling that animal side is a much more difficult for him than the rest of us."

Kagome sat back. Although in much pain, she knew she had to reach him—to reach Inuyasha. Standing back up, she began to feel light-headed with a tumble, but Sango was there to catch her before falling again just as Shippo woke up.

"There is no strength left in your body for this, Kagome," she told her as she supported her weight.

"Kagome?" Shippo whispered, looking up at her through sleepy eyes. He then gasped in joy as he jumped up to hug her. "KAGOME! You're ok!"

She smiled and hugged him back. "Yes, Shippo… I'm alright…" she then looked up to Sango and said firmly, "And yes, I can do this." She pulled away and tried to move. "I… I can't stop here."

Seconds later, she stumbled and almost fell again. Pain was erupting in her side as if there was a knife embedded there. She gasped in pain and put her hand there, trying not to pass out again.

"Kagome!" Sango screamed as she bent down next to her.

She blinked once, but couldn't believe what she was seeing was real. Something small and glowing was beginning to lift out of Kagome's body and up into the air. Words could not explain what was happening to her for she did not know what was happening to her. "Kagome…" she whispered in amazement as Shippo ran and hid behind a tree.

Kagome was breathing hard, but silent at the same time. Her eyes closed as she was wrapping her arms around herself. It was as if she could feel a heavy weight lifting off herself. Her mind was clearing and her sickness was dissipating. "W-What…?"

"Kagome… what's happening to you?" Shippo screamed.

**(I know… I know… I took a long time. But I've been pretty dried up on inspiration for this story. I do hope that this chapter is worth the wait though.)**


	40. When You Can Live Forever

_**Chapter Thirty-seven: When You Can Live Forever**___

Here, was the place.

This was where he was going to end it once and for all.

Inuyasha had been able to pick up Miroku's scent and followed it here to an old, abandoned manor that was just outside of town. There was no doubt in his mind… that was where Naraku was hiding, he was sure of it. His hands clenched tightly into fists as he envisioned tearing that bastard to pieces.

Because of him, he had lost so much… but now was his change to finally put an end to it all. He was going to take his life back. He had long since given up hope of ever finding the jewel and being rid of this curse, but so long as he could take Naraku with him, then he could deal with it.

He knew that as long as Naraku survived, then Kagome would always be in danger. He had to save her… and he was determined to save her no matter what. The image of her lying there, covered in her own blood, sweat dripping down her face, inhaling and exhaling heavily just for a breath for air was stuck in his mind.

He raised his clawed hand and stared at his fingers.

_Kagome…_

It killed him to see what he had done…

He didn't know how it happened, but he wasn't going to let Naraku have a second chance at her life.

"I'll find a way to save you," he whispered, his fingers curling into a tight fist. "I promise. I won't let you die…"

This was it…

Naraku_…_ The bastard's voice echoed through his mind. This would be the perfect time. The time to for him to die…

He raised his fist and broke down the door—to finally confront the demon that had ruined all their lives.

***Naraku***

Naraku chuckled, looking down at an injured and bleeding Miroku. "It was truly too easy you know—" he said to him.

"To what?" Miroku demanded, glaring up at him—heavily tied up with chains. "To kill me? If you're going to… just get it over with. Anything to save me the sound of your voice."

"As tempting as that sounds," Naraku said softly, "I have a better use for you."

Miroku glared at him. But just then, Inuyasha came bursting through the wall and stood against Naraku. As soon as he saw him, Inuyasha almost flew to his side and knelt down next to him.

"Miroku! Are you still alive?"

"Just barely," Miroku panted at him, before looking up to where Naraku sat. Just looking at that despicable face seemed to set them both off and Inuyasha stood up, placing himself right between Miroku and the villain.

"Inuyasha," Naraku replied calmly. "Now, that was an entrance. I think it would have been obvious that I knew you would come here. Especially after you were so close to killing your beloved just last night."

Inuyasha walked forward, stepping on one of the broken boards, and smashing it to pieces.

"Out with it," he demanded. "What the hell did you do to me?"

Naraku tilted his head and answered, as if it was obvious, "I merely awoken the true demon in you."

As Inuyasha took another step forward, Naraku then stood up from his chair.

"This is it," Inuyasha snarled. "This time, I'm going to tear you apart!"

Naraku laughed darkly as he watched them.

"It is nothing but the truth…" Inuyasha said. "I'm going to make sure that you never hurt anyone ever again."

Naraku's face was shrouded in darkness, but the little of his mouth that could be seen… was smiling a cruel sneer.

***Outside***

Kagome fell to her knees, placing her hand over her chest. With every step she had made, her heart pounded in pain and she felt close to being sick. Closing her eyes, she could feel her eyes beginning to water from the pain—trying hard not to pass out.

"Kagome!" Sango shouted in worry, helping Kagome to walk. "Kagome, we must turn back now. You're not well!"

"Get away from me!" Kagome spoke, pushing her away, but as soon as she did, she almost ended up falling forward onto her face until Sango steadied her. "There's… I… I need to do this!"

"There is nothing more you can gain going back into this battle, Kagome," Sango continued gravely. "I understand why you feel like you have to do this, but please… turn back now."

No, she couldn't… not now. Kagome knew in her heart what she had to do. Although in much pain, she knew she had to reach the battle—to reach Inuyasha. Standing back up, she began to feel light-headed and almost ended up taking another tumble, but Sango was there to catch her before falling again.

"There is no strength left in your body for this, Kagome," she told her.

"Yes, there is." Kagome forced herself out of her grip and continued, but walking. "I… I will not be left out here… I have to do this! I need to see him…"

"Kagome…" Sango spoke, placing her hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes. "It's too late. You're in no shape to be doing anything."

"NO!" Kagome shouted, looking up at her desperately, "I know that he's going to get himself killed if I don't do something. I have to reach him and let him know!"

"Kagome…" Sango said softly,

Seconds later, she was on the ground again, gasping for breath. "The fight between vampires won't end unless we stop it. We have to do something to stop him—anything! It's just… I… I want to be by his side… you… you understand right?"

Sango's eyes widened a little before they became sad. "I know that you have feelings for Miroku," Kagome went on. "You want to be with him too don't you?"

"But I can fight," Sango told her. "This is just how it is Kagome. There is nothing else either one of us can do."

Kagome shook her head firmly, refusing to believe it. This wasn't how she wanted things to turn out… but she was willing to do something about it. She looked up at her with tears in her eyes, pleading that her friend would understand.

"It's okay. Everything will be okay," she told her. "We can stop this now… tonight…"

***Inuyasha***

Naraku laughed as he watched Inuyasha bleeding everywhere. "If I had known that you were that willing to die, I would've killed that girl long ago."

Inuyasha spat out a mouthful of blood as he forced his wounded body to stand up again. "You're going to regret that. I'm going to kill you."

He glanced quickly at Miroku—wondering if he could get him up to help, but with those nasty looking wounds, he doubted that the monk would be of much help.

"You know that I'm going to have no choice but to kill your little human beloved…" Naraku began to taunt, halting Inuyasha stop.

"Lay one finger on her and I'll make sure that it will be the last thing you ever do…" Inuyasha replied, clutching his hand into a fist.

"Why must you be so blind, Inuyasha?" Naraku laughed. "I would've thought you learned your lesson with what happened with Kikyo."

Inuyasha's eyes burned red at those words. "Damn you," he growled menacingly at him. "It's your fault! You're the one who killed her for the stupid jewel."

"Yes, but I didn't get it now did I?" he asked. "She was a talented priestess… I probably wouldn't have been able to defeat her if I didn't know what her weakness was. You…"

Inuyasha began to growl at him, his anger was now growing an uncontrollable rate.

"I never thought that you would ever allow anyone into your heart again," he answered, sitting back down on his chair as if it were a throne. "But imagine how surprised I was to see you with that woman. She's Kikyo's reincarnation now isn't she? She is so like, yet unlike, Kikyo don't you agree? You barely know her, yet you've already surrendered your heart to her. You think that you care about her… but your affection for her is just an illusion, something that was never real."

"And what would you know about what is real or not?" Inuyasha shouted, now getting ready to rip out his throat. "How would you know what's going on in my head? Well? You don't know because you don't care about anything but your—"

"She is different from you and I, Inuyasha. No matter how many times you'd try, the two of you can never be together," he answered him. "Vampires and humans live two different lives, live in two different worlds, whatever we are, they are the opposite. That is why we cannot be together."

"No! They aren't! We aren't… we're not that different…" Inuyasha said stubbornly.

"Inuyasha…" Naraku continued, walking up to him. "Think about it. You can't even be with her without her life in constant danger. Do you really think that the two of you can live together in peace? No… soon, Kagome will die. If not by you, then age will finish her off. And then what? We are dead… time stands still for us… but for mortals, time is everything?"

Inuyasha looked away, closing his eyes. He was right. As much as he hated to admit it, Naraku was right. Everything he said… everything that he tried to tell him over and over again was true.

Naraku merely chuckled at the tormented look on his face. "I am going to offer you one last chance to accept my deal," he said. "Will you agree to become my servant? Do so, and I will leave your love alone."

Inuyasha's eyes began to burn red. "How dare you? You're the one who's been trying to hurt her!"

"If it hadn't been for you, she never would have known about vampires now would she?" he asked.

That shut Inuyasha up. It was true… if not for him, then Kagome would never have been drawn into this battle. But he wasn't going to let her die because of him. He was selfish yes, and because of that, he wasn't going to let Naraku take her.

He stood back up and said, "If I said yes to you, then there would be no point in being born a man."

"Then you will die here tonight," Naraku told him.

"I don't care," he said. "What's the point in living forever… if I have to live without a reason? Sacrificing Kagome, and enduring your ego forever is to steep a price to live forever."

Naraku smirked. "To tell you the truth, I didn't think that you would accept it… after all, you have been losing against me for nearly 500 years."

"Shut up," he said and then he lunged for Naraku's throat.

***Kagome***

Kagome and Sango continued their way through the thick brush. "Are you sure that this is the right way?" Kagome asked Sango.

"Yes," she shouted back. "We're almost there."

"Inuyasha and Miroku are waiting for us…" Kagome gasped, still feeling sick, but more aware of what was going on around her. She leaned against Sango and asked, "Do you think Shippo is angry at us?"

"He wasn't happy about being forced to go back to get the others, but he'll be fine," Sango whispered. "Right now, we focus on getting the boys. We have to end this tonight…"

Kagome raised her head and spotted it. "There," she whispered, pointing to the run-down manor. "They're in there aren't they? I'm sure of it."

***Inuyasha***

Inuyasha was fighting with everything he had against Naraku. But no matter how many times that he struck him, Naraku's body continued to regenerate. It was like fighting jello… no matter how much he sliced apart with his claws, Naraku only continued to regrow his own body.

Inuyasha was bleeding a lot more now… he lost so much blood that he was having trouble staying on his feet. As he struggled to breathe, Naraku merely laughed. "This must be difficult for you to watch, isn't it monk?"

Inuyasha froze as Naraku turned his attention onto Miroku, who was still trapped in place, struggling hard against the chains.

"How about I put you out of your misery before I'm finished with Inuyasha?" he asked, before the body parts that were scattered around the floor suddenly came back to life and launched themselves at him.

"NO!" Inuyasha shouted, watching, as if in slow motion, as Miroku was about to be sliced apart by a long, clawed hand. But just as the claws pierced his skin, the wall behind Miroku broke through with a CRASH and Sango came charging in. "YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE!" she screamed, taking a wild slash with a broken board.

"S-Sango…?" Miroku croaked out as she cut through the detached limb.

"Miroku!" Sango cried, dropping next to him and hugging his head tightly. "Thank God… I was starting to think that we wouldn't make it in time."

Naraku stared at the two before his smirk was back. "I'm impressed that you managed to survive this long," he said. "I honestly didn't think that anyone else would be joining us tonight. Not that it matters. You're all too late to do anything now."

Sango, who was now pulling the chains off Miroku, glared up at him. "Shows what you know," Sango said stubbornly. "The jokes on you!"

He burst out laughing. "You realize what tonight is don't you? The one night that you've all been praying would come for the last five hundred years! You haven't been able to destroy me or find the jewel and yet you still think that you can all keep going?"

"That's right," Sango said stubbornly. "For all we have to do now is kill you and we can start over again."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked her, not sure to what she meant.

"Inuyasha…" whispered a soft voice and he stopped dead. Spinning around towards the hole in the wall that Sango made, he saw her… Kagome walked into the room, her hands over her heart and staring at him with the uttermost relief.

"Kagome!" he cried, panic now taking hold—all thoughts of pain and fatigue now leaving him. "You aren't supposed to be here!"

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," she whispered tiredly. She was still deathly pale, and seemed to be having trouble standing up on her own. "But I had to come… I needed to be here with you."

She stumbled a little and Inuyasha was on his feet again as he flew to her, catching her before she dropped to the floor.

"You idiot," he hissed to her as she rested her head against his shoulder. "You should never have come here!"

"I know…" she whispered. "But I… I had to come… I had… to be with you."

"Now now, seems like we're all gathered together," Naraku chuckled and Inuyasha glared up at him.

"We just need to beat you," Sango said crossly. "The others are on their way. This is the end for you Naraku."

"What makes you think so?" Naraku asked with a sneer. "All I have to do is wait until the sun rises and then you will all have to wait another five hundred years."

"You won't hurt anyone again," Kagome whispered, and she opened her hands so that the bright light couldn't be missed by anyone. No one said a word as they stared at her; even Naraku's smirk was wiped off.

For there… in her hands… was a bright, pink jewel…

**(I know it's been a long time. But I've had so much work to do that I just haven't been able to find time for this story. But know that it's almost over now. I'm thinking maybe another two chapters and the epilogue?)**


	41. The Love of a Vampire

_**Chapter Thirty-eight: The Love of a Vampire**___

Inuyasha, Miroku, and Naraku were all staring—thunderstruck—at Kagome as the brilliantly shining jewel in her hands, illuminating her pale face as she stared determinedly at them all.

"K-Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, staring at her, stumbling to his shaky feet as he stared. "How did…?"

Even Naraku's usual smirk had been wiped clean off his face as he stared at the jewel. "So…" he said frowning. "You _did_ have it all this time."

Kagome swayed where she stood, seemingly unable to stand on her own. Suddenly recovering his strength, Inuyasha felt his energy return with a vengeance, not even noticing his injuries anymore, he jumped and rushed to her side just as Naraku lashed out to attack her.

Inuyasha grabbed her around the waist and ducked away just in time. "Idiot," he gasped at her as a tentacle-like claw shot out from Naraku's shirt where an arm was supposed to be. He glared at Naraku in anger, realizing that Naraku was never fighting him seriously to begin with; but now that they had the jewel… there was no longer any point in holding back.

Kagome let out a sharp gasp and he looked down at her anxiously. Her hands were clenched tightly above her chest and through her fingers he could just make out the feeble light from the jewel she still had. "Kagome," he hissed at her, "Just what were you _thinking_ coming here?"

"I…" she gasped out, her brown eyes focusing on him, a weak smile on her face. "I had to see you…?"

"Damn it," Inuyasha whispered as Kagome continued to slip in and out of consciousness and he jumped out of Naraku's next attack. He had to get her out of here… she would surely be killed if Naraku had his way.

He looked around desperately and spotted Sango rushing over to Miroku's side. He looked bad—he had suffered a great amount of blood loss as the scratch wounds on his back stood out through his shredded clothes.

"Miroku…?" she gasped as stabbed through the chains that held him there. "Miroku you better not die on me."

"Sango!" Inuyasha yelled at her as he continued to run from Naraku's unrelenting attacks. "Why'd you bring her here?!"

"I tried to tell her, but she wouldn't listen to me," she snapped back as she ducked around another tentacle that came to close to them. Naraku was looking angrier than ever before and Inuyasha knew that he had finally stopped playing around; now ready to do whatever it took to kill them all.

Gritting his fangs together, he ran around the other side and grabbed hold of the other two before he went bursting through the hole in the wall that he made earlier. Outside in the night sky Kagome opened her eyes to the bright full moon and she felt a weak smile spread on her pale cheeks. She looked up to Inuyasha and whispered, "Inuyasha…?"

"Not now," he told her firmly as he dropped Sango and Miroku at his feet and set her down more gently. "Kagome," he whispered to her alone as Sango went to Miroku. "Just hang on for me…"

"Yeah, sure…" she gasped back with a feeble smile. "I can hang on for awhile…"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha hissed as Naraku emerged from the broken-down building, his tentacles sprouting from his limbs, his eyes towards Kagome's clenched hands.

"You back away from her!" he snarled menacingly at him, spinning around and shielding Kagome from his gaze. "I will kill you if you touch her!"

He then charged at him, with Naraku smirking once again as he dodged around him. "You had better do better than that in order to kill me, Inuyasha," he called to him.

That little smirk enraged him only further as he spun around for a chance for another attack at him. Missing again, he gave a frustrated growl, when all he got for his effort was a shower of dirt from the gaping hole he had made in the ground.

His dog-ears swiveled to keep track of the Naraku's location, determined not to give him the chance to sneak up on him again. Inuyasha turned to face his opponent, growling, "Stop messing around, Naraku! All I have to do is kill you and this will be over! I'm more prepared to kill you now than ever before! I see why you just keep dodging me you're afraid of fighting me head on," he called to him and just like that, Naraku's smirk vanished to be replaced with a look of deep annoyance.

Naraku struck out with a large tentacle leaving a large crater in the ground where Inuyasha had stood a moment ago. Inuyasha saw the crater's size and his eyes widened in shock. He had never seen Naraku so mad before. Kagome was watching the fight with wide, shocked eyes from where she lay. It was hard to tell what she was thinking for she had never seen a fight like this before. Inuyasha was taking a lot of damage from Naraku's attacks, but he was still able to fight on a fairly even level with him.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking I am afraid of fighting you, Inuyasha," Naraku warned him darkly. "And once I take care of you… I'll deal with that woman you love so completely."

That was what did it. A feeling of pure rage went throughout his body. At that moment, he no longer cared what happened to him. He didn't care if he lived or died so long as he could take him with him when he did… he would never let him near Kagome again…

Inuyasha snarled, "You're a dead man!"

"Oh, really? Do you really think you can take me on, defeat me, and live to tell the tail?" Naraku chuckled with amusement at what he thought of as stupidity to try to do such a thing. Inuyasha was ignoring him. He would avenge his friends and everything he's done. Even if he did die trying he would take Naraku with him if that was what it took.

Inuyasha said calmly, "I do not care if I die or not when I fight you as long as I take you with me when I do that'll be enough for me!" And he attacked again. Naraku underestimated his speed and it cost him a deep slice in the tentacle arm.

Inuyasha continued to attack, and Naraku continued to dodge him—missed the claws by a hair, feeling the shirt he wore tearing. Naraku landed on his feet, legs starting to shake and breathing becoming ragged from blood-loss.

"You are through Naraku," Inuyasha snarled, but then Kagome saw something that scared her more than anything else at the moment. Inuyasha's beautiful golden eyes suddenly turned red… the same red eyes that had almost succeeded in killing her.

"INUYASHA!" she screamed at him just as he charged again. Naraku tried to dodge the attack, but too late realized that he barely had enough strength to stand let alone dodge Inuyasha again. Inuyasha's claws went through Naraku's chest and at the same time Naraku's tentacle went through Inuyasha's stomach. Naraku fell backwards and Inuyasha went with him.

Blood pouring from both mouths, she screamed as she forced her aching, tired body to get back up. Gritting her teeth together, she stumbled upright and ran over to where Inuyasha was lying face-down.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome cried out before screaming out, "INUYASHA!"

She collapsed by his side, turning over his body, she could see his handsome face covered in blood as he gasped for breath. She shook his shoulders, trying to wake him up as Naraku continued to spit up blood from where he lay.

"Inuyasha," she cried out, tears falling from her pale face, "Please… please wake up!"

As her hot tears fell onto his face, he finally opened his eyes—and for a moment, they were still blood-red as they had been. But as soon as he saw her, they faded away to be replaced with the golden color that she loved so much. The second that they turned back, she could see that the pain in them seemed to fade to be replaced with a look of complete peace.

Inuyasha turned his head, to look at her. "Kagome… why are you—ugh!" he spoke, gripping onto his chest from the pain.

"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome shouted, holding him tightly against her. "Inuyasha, don't go… I'm begging you!"

"Kagome!" screamed a voice from behind her in time to see Sango there, pointing wildly to the sky. Distracted, Kagome looked up, expecting to see Naraku or another vampire flying down towards them… but instead she could see the moon… it was slowly vanishing as it grew dark.

"The eclipse," she whispered, opening her hands again to see the jewel shining back. "Now…?"

"Kagome!" Sango screamed. "Now is the time! This is our only chance! Do it before it's too late! You know what we want! Wish for it!"

Kagome looked down to Inuyasha and cried. "But what about…?"

"Please Kagome…" Inuyasha gasped out through the blood. She continued to cry, knowing that she should, but her greatest fear at the moment of what might happen if she did. And what of Naraku? She looked up to see him gasping for air as blood continued to bleed from his own neck.

She glared at him, knowing that he was the cause of so much pain… but… at that moment he looked so pathetic that she couldn't wish him dead even if she could. Suddenly, she knew what was to be done.

Looking down at Inuyasha she croaked out, "You won't… go away will you?"

"Not… forever…" he promised holding her hands. Hot tears continuing to fall, she held the jewel tightly, and lowered her head to his lips firmly… possibly for the final time…

She prayed with all her heart… she made her wish…

At that moment, the jewel grew hot in her hands and the blinding light shining around them caused her to wince at the pain as she shut her eyes tightly, only focusing on Inuyasha. But when the light faded, his lips were gone. And when she opened her eyes, she saw that she was completely alone. No Sango, Miroku… no Inuyasha… not even Naraku was here anymore…

Not that she was surprised.

The wind blew gently though the trees. The crickets started to sing again sensing that the danger had passed. The world started to move again, the rest of the world completely oblivious to what had happened here the last couple of days. The only ones who even knew that a battle had taken place was her and her little brother who was back at the house… now possibly scared out of his mind.

For he was now alone in that big house…

She cried as she fell forward, her tears soaking into the ground, "Inuyasha…" she whispered through her sobs. "I love you…"

**(I'm not good with battle scenes and I know that this chapter was really short, but it's almost finished now. I hope that even though it was small, you enjoyed it.)**


	42. Epilogue: Sweeter then Blood

_**Epilogue: Sweeter then Blood **_

Several months had passed since that last battle, and October was now drawing to a close. Kagome was out shopping with her friends, enjoying one of the last few nice days of the year before they stopped by the costume shop.

"Wow," Yuki said looking at all the goddess costumes, "It's hard to believe that Halloween is almost here… just feels like yesterday we were all in here shopping for last year."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Eri said as she went looking for something different. "It's tough trying to find something different every year…"

"Oh, I already know what I'm going as," Ayumi said happily, pulling a costume down. "A rainbow skeleton!" She was now holding up a cute and colorful skeleton outfit. She would dress up like a normal skeleton, but here, there were neon rainbow dress, sleevelets and footless tights so at night she was sure to light up like a Christmas tree."

"What do you think Kagome?" Ayumi asked, looking over her shoulder, but Kagome didn't answer her right away. She was still staring up at the section marked 'Vampires'.

It had been so long since she had said goodbye to Inuyasha, but she thought of him all the time since then… she had cried herself to sleep after that battle, waking up when the sun was rising… she then dragged her weak body back to the manor where her friends had been staying… only to find Sota all alone, and curled up indside fast asleep. It had not been fun trying to explain to her mother where they had been for those two days…

She had told Sota everything else she hadn't told him about vampires, but that was the end of it.

It was only worse when her mother and friends kept asking her where her 'boyfriend' was these days. It was too painful to even think about… so she never answered. Just forced a smile and went on as if no one asked anything… it soon came to a point that no one dared to ask anymore.

But looking at these costumes, she couldn't stop thinking of those beautiful golden eyes that she had fallen so deeply in love with… she could still feel his strong arms wrapped protectively around her… the feel of his lips…

She sighed as she looked back and said, "I think that would look great on you!"

"I thought so!" Ayumi laughed as she went off to the changing rooms to try it on real quick. They shopped around for awhile before Yuki ended up picking up a Cat outfit—with matching ears and tail; and Eri chose the 'Sexy Pirate', complete with a plastic sword.

Kagome didn't tell the others the outfit she chose… merely grinned mysteriously as she bought her clothes and accessories.

"Hojo's having another party this year?" she asked.

"Yep," Eri answered as they all headed home with their bags. "It's going to be a lot better than last year… they're going to be holding it in the park from what I heard! They even hired a DJ and are talking about how to best set up the lights…?"

"Sounds good," Kagome sighed as they continued on to the car.

"It's not for another two weeks though," Ayumi reminded them as they got in. "We still have plenty of time…"

Time…

The whole world seemed to be filled with nothing but time anymore. Without Inuyasha, time seemed to move at an unbelievably slow pace… sometimes Kagome would sit up in bed even late into the night just to see if a familiar figure would appear at her window…

She didn't know why she bothered because he never was.

It felt as if she was carrying around a heavy weight in her heart from not knowing what happened to him. But she went on every day, able to put him out of her mind when she was busy. She enjoyed being around people—they were able to help put her sadness aside… it was only at night did she feel the true pain of being separated from him.

'_Inuyasha…' _she thought as she got into the car with her friends._ 'Will I ever see you again? It's been months since I said goodbye… but I've thought of you every day since then…'_

"Come on, Kagome," Yuki teased from the back seat. "What are you going as?"

Kagome only smiled and said, "You'll have to wait and see…"

***Halloween Night***

"Kagome?" Sota's voice called before he knocked on her door. "You're friends called! They said that they'll pick you up in an hour so you have to be ready by then!"

"Ok!" she called back before Sota poked his head in. Kagome was sitting on her bed as she applied thick make-up to her face. She was never one for make-up, but she believed that Halloween was a good excuse to put on as much as you'd like. She just applied ruby-red lipstick on and was looking at the effect in the mirror when he came in with his Samurai outfit

"You going trick-or-treating?" she asked.

"Yeah!" he said, holding up his toy katana. "We already know what houses to go to that have the chocolate and the big size candy!"

"Save me a piece," Kagome joked as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"Kagome? Do you miss Inuyasha?" he asked her.

Her hand froze as she looked in the small mirror in her hands, her eyes looking sad. "I think about him all the time," she confessed. Sota was probably the only person that she could really tell him about Inuyasha. He was the only other person who knew the truth after all…

"What happened to them all I wonder," Sota asked himself.

"I made the wish for them to all be free of their curse," Kagome answered grimly, putting her lipstick away. "What happened to them I don't know… I don't know when I'll see them again."

They both sat there quietly for a few more minutes before Kagome said, "Well, you better get going! I still have to get ready for the party, and I'm sure that you need a head-start on getting your loot."

Sota grinned as he jumped off the bed and went to the door. "Oh, by the way! That Hojo guy called again! Said something about wanting to ask you out to the movies this weekend?!"

Kagome groaned. "You mean he still doesn't get the hint that I'm _not_ his girlfriend?"

"Apparently," he laughed. "Maybe you should tell him that your boyfriend's a vampire! That might work!"

She rolled her eyes as she went to her closet and added, "Yeah, and make him think I belong in the nuthouse. Get lost!"

Kagome shook her head as he shut the door and ran off before she pulled out her clothes and started to change. One good thing about Naraku kidnapping her brother that night was the fact that the two of them grew to be so much closer. Mom often wondered how that happened…

Of course neither Kagome nor Sota could tell her it was because of vampires. Once she changed, and pulled on her coat, she went down to find her friends waiting for her in the car.

"Have a good time dear," her mother said, giving her a quick hug.

"I'm sure I will!" Kagome called, half-heartedly as she joined her friends. Kagome kept her coat on the entire time until they arrived at the park where Hojo was holding his big Halloween Bash, but she made sure to leave it in the car.

"OH WOW, KAGOME!" they cried when they saw her.

She was in beautiful crimson red dress with an even darker red bodice—the sleeves were see-through and reached down her arms like evening gloves. Around her neck was a necklace shaped like a bat, with a red plastic jewel where the bat's body was… her hair was left hanging down so that it cascaded down her back and she even had little plastic teeth that fixed onto her real ones…

"Oh, Vampire Queen!" Eri bowed at her. "You look fantastic!"

"I thought you didn't believe in vampires, Kagome," Yuki laughed.

Kagome smiled, her teeth more showy than ever with the red lipstick, "It's Halloween! Why not dress up?"

She joined her friends and mingled in with the party… the long banquet tables that were filled with food shown in the countless lights that hung from the trees. Kagome laughed, and enjoyed meeting with everyone—taking special care to avoid Hojo when he came near—this year dressed as some a prince with a long cape.

All in all, she did have a lot of fun that night. But as she slipped to the refreshments, she spotted the punch that was so dark, and under these lights, it looked like blood. She saddened when she saw it as she took one of the goblets and poured herself some. But for some reason she was no longer in the mood to be partying.

She snuck away as the music continued to play and they began dancing. Slipping in through the trees, she wandered only a little ways away so that she could still see everyone there—but far enough so that she didn't have to worry about being seen.

She stood there among the trees, staring at the punch. For some reason, she couldn't seem to stop the tears as she looked at her reflection in the goblet. She didn't know why she was suddenly so emotional, but it felt as if someone was squeezing her heart and she just couldn't stop herself.

'_Inuyasha…'_ she thought.

There are as many nights as days, but this one night seemed to stretch on forever. She hadn't cried since that night she said goodbye to him, but now the tears were falling thick and fast. From the very first moment that she met Inuyasha, there had been a new feeling that she never knew before.

The longing of love…

Because of that love, she couldn't change time, or anything that happened between the two of them… she couldn't change how she felt about him, nor how their destinies had entwined with one another. But she didn't regret it.

She wanted to see him…

Suddenly, there were the sounds of footsteps behind her and the swishing sound of a cloak. Thinking it was Hojo she said irritably, "Hojo, please… I'm just not in the mood to talk to you."

"But I needed to see you," he answered… only it wasn't Hojo's voice who spoke.

Kagome felt the goblet fall out of her hands at that voice as she turned on the spot. No… it couldn't be…

But as she spun around, standing there was a young man with long, black hair that was tied up in a ponytail. He was dressed in dark clothes and a black cape hung around his shoulders… but she wasn't looking at anything but his face… a rather rough face with a wild grin and beautiful brown eyes.

He looked so different and yet… that voice… that smile…? Could it really be…?

"Inu… yasha?" she croaked out.

He looked at her up and down before he smiled again, showing his teeth… plastic ones like hers. "You look good."

It was like a dream… a dream that she had been having for months. Could she have simply fallen asleep and she was in her own personal fantasy? She stepped forward, placing her hands on his face as she looked at him, he sure felt real…

"Is that… you?" she croaked out, tracing his eyes with her fingers.

"I said I'd be back, remember?" he asked her awkwardly.

She looked deeper into those brown eyes, and even though they were a different color, they were the same as the gold ones that she longed for so desperately. Suddenly, she heard a familiar laugh and looked back towards the party to see a familiar group of people there…

Sango, Miroku, Koga, Ayame, Shippo… and even Rin!

They had come out of nowhere and had joined the party! Each one dressed in costumes and laughing with each other… Shippo no longer had the tail or fox ears and feet… he was taller with normal human legs and ears—he was dressed as a super hero running around and laughing.

But the biggest change was Rin… she was no longer a small child, but a teenage girl about her age! She looked to be about sixteen at most, with long black hair and a beautiful face as several boys noticed her at once and walked over to talk to her.

"Don't see why they bother," Inuyasha said as Rin merely smiled and waved them away. "She's already engaged now… but Sesshomaru didn't want to come to the party."

"You… you're all here…" Kagome whispered, staring back up at him.

"It's a long story," he said, smiling. "But the point is… its over. After 500 years, it's all finally over."

Tears were falling again down Kagome's, but they were different this time. They were tears of joy… "That is you…" she whispered.

And without waiting another moment, they flung themselves at each other and began to kiss. This wasn't like the ones they had in the past… this was their first kiss… their first kiss as complete humans. His lips were warm and she could feel the heat from his body as he wrapped his arms around her… it started off as an almost desperate press against their mouths, but soon became softer, sweeter… and then they were kissing properly, but slowly.

This couldn't be happening—it was too amazing, too incredible, too wonderful… every sensation was vivid and powerful: she was painfully aware of her heart hammering against her ribcage, and every point their bodies touched seemed to blister and burn…

She reached up to his face and felt the normal ears on the side of his head. Though she would miss the cute dog ears, she loved these just as much as his fingers became entangled in her hair.

Time hung suspended for just the two of them. In fact, she wouldn't have been surprised if every clock on earth had stopped ticking for them. If you asked her how long they remained this way, she wouldn't have been able to tell you. It was impossible to say how long it lasted, but slowly, very slowly, they broke apart—gasping for air.

"Now there's no doubt," Kagome said smiling at him, seeing the lipstick that she left on his lips. "No man can kiss like you."

He grinned back. "It was always sweeter than blood…" was all he said before leaning back in for another kiss… she glided her arms around his neck as they kissed even more passionately than the last. There would be time to talk later… to discover everything that happened… how they had been doing… and what they had been up too. But at that moment, none of it mattered as they stood there like that, their hearts so full of happiness that they might burst…

They were together again and that was all that they cared about.

Underneath the light of the shining moon, they were cast in that unearthly glow like a spotlight… if anybody had seem them at that moment they would swear that they were looking at the Vampire King and Queen together… with the punch dripping from the fallen goblet at their feet… oozing like blood into the ground…

END

**(What'd you all think? It's been a long time, but the story is finally over! I'm sure that I'm going to be having a lot of questions about this later, but that would've taken too long to explain, and would've drawn the fact away from the two lovers meeting again. No, it ended the way it was supposed to, Inuyasha and the others are back and are free from their curse… that's all that matters. I do hope that you all enjoyed this story and thank you all for the support you have given this story.)**


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